Message from Tony Papa, Board of Directors President

I am so pleased to have been elected president of CASA of Santa Barbara County.  My wife Sabrina and I have always gravitated toward organizations that enhance the lives of children.  They are our future and the world needs their help.
There are so many incredible benefits to the work we do at CASA.  I was initially drawn to the obvious impact our program makes on the trajectory of an abused and neglected child’s future.  There are countless stories of how an advocate volunteer provided a young heart and mind with the hope for a better tomorrow.  The simple truth an advocate gives through their caring actions creates a positive chain reaction creating a better tomorrow for everyone.
At a time when news sources and the scientific community are overwhelmingly reporting on all of the challenges we have created for our planet, a small and dedicated army of CASA volunteers are planting seeds of love, knowledge and self-worth within what would otherwise be a lost population of children.  I believe, as many of my team members do, the work of a CASA volunteer is the best long-term economic stimulus our country will receive.
At the end of our last fiscal year, we served 49% of the abused and neglected children who are dependents of our county’s court system.  While this is a dramatic increase from years past, it is imperative we serve 100%.  We are determined to get there by the end of 2018 and we believe we can scale our program very efficiently.  The challenge is recruiting the additional men and women willing to volunteer their time and serve as advocates.  These are the people who are doing the heavy lifting and saving the lives of future societal contributors.
Retired Juvenile and Domestic Relations Court Judge J. Dean Lewis said: Most citizens do not know what goes on behind the closed doors of the juvenile and family courts of this nation – but CASA volunteers do.  They see the pain and trauma of the child first-hand.  They understand the law and the court process.  They guide the child through the labyrinth and give the child comfort during a traumatic time. The CASA volunteer appears in court to hold the system accountable to the best interest of each child. Our volunteers do this great service on behalf of humanity.  They are driven by a higher calling and they have my respect and admiration.  Please help us identify future saviors.  Our children and our children’s children will be grateful.
Please feel free to contact me at any time for any reason pertaining to our mission.  Our plan of serving 100% of the children in our county is only the beginning.  We are approaching our business as any other enterprise.  The only difference is that we are a social enterprise, meaning our return on investment benefits everyone.