Smokeball Attends CASA’s 12th Annual Fall Gala

The evening of October 24, 2018 was an unforgettable fundraising and fun raising event for the Cook County chapter of Court Appointed Special Advocates for Children.  Smokeball was proud to attend and show their support for CASA’s ongoing efforts for children in the foster care system. The evening highlighted all of CASA’s important work and even gave a personal voice to its impact, as a former CASA recipient spoke in depth about how her advocate helped her through a difficult foster care experience.  Often, CASA volunteers are the only bright spot in a dark foster care world.

As noted on its website, “[f]or 29 years, Court Appointed Special Advocates (CASA) of Cook County has been training everyday people to stand up for children who have experienced neglect and abuse in an overwhelmed and extremely under-resourced foster care system.”  CASA trains volunteers from all walks of life, some with legal backgrounds, some without., to advocate for kids. The 12th Annual Fall Gala highlighted some of those volunteers and supporters within the legal system. The event raised money through silent and public auctions, and through the tables sold, in order to advance CASA’s vision of “a time when every child in state care has an influential voice in the court and in the community.”  Smokeball was pleased to have the opportunity to support CASA again by purchasing a table for the event.

Smokeball often supports CASA and has in several ways.  Currently, Smokeball’s Season of Giving is raising money by donating $100 to CASA for each Smokeball demo run between now and Thanksgiving.  Past efforts included raising money during Race Judicata, Chicago’s annual legal community 5K race, and raising money around the holidays internally.

CASA’s new Executive Director, Dr. Bonita Carr, spoke passionately about the needs of the organization and the need for funding to support its vision.  The goal at hand is to raise funding to hire another trainer so that CASA can put more volunteers out with children who need them. Today, CASA has resources to assist only a fraction of children in the foster care system in Cook County.  But its Gala showed that there is clearly hope to reach more, and there are clearly vocal and passionate supporters who want to advance that hope. As one of those supporters, Smokeball looks forward to watching and helping CASA grow and extend its reach to our most vulnerable children.

For more information on what CASA does and how to show your support for their initiatives, visit their website, www.casacookcounty.org.  To have Smokeball donate to CASA on your firm’s behalf during the Season of Giving, see Smokeball legal practice management software and book your free demo today.

Smokeballers pictured from left to right: Lou Leonardo, Office Manager; Kosha Kapadia, Sales Development Rep; Becky Bloom, Partnership Manager; Jane Oxley, President; Linda Stiglicz, HR Specialist; Josh Taylor, Lead Content Strategist; Taryn Mohnsen, Marketing Operations Manager; Jessica Robinson, Client Trainer