CASA Glynn provides a Court Appointed Special Advocate (CASA) to more than 300 children in foster care annually throughout the Brunswick Judicial Circuit, which comprises Glynn, Camden, Wayne, Appling, and Jeff Davis Counties.
“The Juvenile Courts turn to the CASA volunteer advocates as a direct source of information regarding any child involved in deprivation proceedings,” said Cary Greenfield, Executive Director of CASA Glynn. “The CASA Glynn volunteers speak for the child in court, help to protect the child from insensitive questioning, and objectively report information to assist the court in determining the best interests of the child, based on sound research.”
“Children in foster care are perhaps the most powerless element of our society. They have done nothing to deserve being taken from their families. They can do nothing to help themselves find safe, permanent homes. They need and deserve a voice, and CASA provides that voice to
them. CASA is a practical, hard-working solution to an enormous problem.
On average, CASA Glynn has about 90 trained, sworn-in volunteers who work under the supervision of CASA Glynn staff. These volunteers go through 35-40 hours of training before becoming a CASA, and the average case takes about 5-10 hours of their time each month. They work to learn more about the child in foster care, their placement, their biological family, and their situation as a whole in order to provide a report to the court and recommendation on what they feel is best for the child in care.
Now, thanks to a recent grant from the Southeastern Bank Community Foundation for $2,000, confidential information of CASA volunteers, staff, and the children they serve are better protected.
“The purpose of these funds is the purchase of training software, security software, and virtual program software, ensuring the integrity and confidentiality of the children and families we serve and of the volunteers who advocate for these children,” said Greenfield. “This includes firewalls, server protection, Zoom, Skype for Business, Microsoft Teams, Fortigate 60E, vSphere licensing, annual monitoring, antivirus, and backup services.”
As Greenfield explains, CASA volunteers in the Brunswick Judicial Circuit attend hearings virtually, and many of the volunteer trainings are hybrid virtual. “The impact to our children, volunteers, staff, and families is that their confidential information is completely protected, allowing ease of minds to our staff and more concentrated time being spent on ensuring their needs are met. We are not a glamorous, high-profile charity, but that’s why Southeastern Bank’s decision to help CASA will have such a big impact.”
“We are proud to support CASA Glynn in their work to advocate for children and strengthen our community,” said Jay Torbert, President and CEO of Southeastern Bank.
About Southeastern Bank Community Foundation, Inc.
A 501(c)(3) organization, Southeastern Bank Community Foundation supports local nonprofits making a difference in the communities served by Southeastern Bank. Employees of the Bank serve on the Foundation Board on a rotational basis and determine how funds are dispersed in its local communities. The Foundation is currently funded with donations from the Bank.
Applications for future grant award cycles are available on the Bank’s website at southeasternbank.com or any Southeastern Bank office.
About Southeastern Bank
Established in 1888, Southeastern Bank has a long history of serving its customers and communities through its 11 locations in coastal Georgia and northeast Florida. The Bank is headquartered in Darien, Georgia. Visit southeasternbank.com to learn more.
About Us: Southeastern Bank, established in 1888, has a long history of serving its customers and communities. From traditional deposit and loan services to long-term mortgage originations and credit cards, Southeastern Bank has the financial products you need most. The Bank has 10 branch locations throughout coastal Georgia and northeast Florida, including Brunswick, Callahan, Darien, Eulonia, Folkston, Hilliard, Kingsland, Nahunta, Richmond Hill and St. Simons Island, and a loan production office in Hinesville.
