Who We Are History CASA of Grayson County is part of a national volunteer movement that began in 1977 when Judge David Soukup in Seattle decided he needed to know more about the children whose lives were in his hands. His solution was to ask community volunteers to act as a “voice in court” for children involved in the child welfare system. These Court Appointed Special Advocate® (CASAs) provided him with the detailed information he needed to safeguard the children’s best interests. The program was so successful that it was copied around the nation. CASA of Grayson County has continued to serve abused and neglected children in our community by providing trained community volunteers to speak up for children in the child welfare system. CASA of Grayson County is a 501(c)3 nonprofit organization governed by a volunteer board of directors and is a member of the National and Texas CASA Associations. There are more than 1,000 CASA programs nationwide and 71 CASA programs in the state of Texas. CASA of Grayson County History: Since 1993, CASA of Grayson County has helped more than 1,500 children navigate the legal system in Grayson County, giving vulnerable children a voice during some of the most difficult moments in their lives. The CASA program in Grayson County began when a dedicated group of local women approached District Judge Lloyd Perkins with a vision of creating a program that would advocate for abused and neglected children in the court system. Among the leaders of this effort was Jayne Quinton-Gump, a founding member of Texas CASA who was serving as the organization’s director at the time. Having personally adopted a child who had experienced abuse, Quinton-Gump understood firsthand the importance of ensuring children have a voice and a consistent advocate within the child welfare system. For more than 15 years, Quinton-Gump traveled across Texas recruiting compassionate volunteers and helping establish CASA programs throughout the state. Naturally, her home county of Grayson, Texas, became one of those important efforts. Alongside Carolyn Fields and Marty Sanderson, she began recruiting community members interested in building a local CASA nonprofit organization. Their efforts quickly gained momentum. Judy McGraw, Ginny Jones, and Mary Green joined the initiative, meeting at Carolyn Fields’ home to begin developing the framework for what would become CASA of Grayson County. The group approached local banks and community leaders for support and organized a luncheon at Woodlawn Country Club featuring prominent community members. By the conclusion of that luncheon, the Dorset Foundation had committed $15,000 in startup funding, while numerous community members volunteered to serve on both the advisory board and board of directors. In May 1993, Mary Green became the organization’s first Executive Director. Later that year, in October 1993, CASA of Grayson County conducted its first volunteer training class. The newly trained advocates were sworn in as Court Appointed Special Advocates on a Friday and assigned their first cases the following Monday by Judge Ray Grisham. Judy McGraw became the organization’s very first CASA advocate to accept a case, marking the beginning of a 25-year commitment to serving children through CASA. She later continued her involvement as both a volunteer and supervisor before returning to serve on the board of directors for an additional six years. Today, the legacy established by these pioneering community leaders continues through the dedicated volunteers, staff, and supporters of CASA of Grayson County, who remain committed to advocating for the best interests of children in the child welfare system. Mission: CASA (Court Appointed Special Advocates) of Grayson County is a non-profit organization dedicated to training and equipping our community to protect children, empower families, and advocate for positive outcomes for children involved in the child welfare system. Vision: CASA envisions a community of healthy children and families on a positive trajectory for a brighter future. Guiding Principles: Recognizes the importance of family preservation and/or reunification: It is in a child’s best interests to remain with their family of origin when safely possible. Acknowledges that children experience trauma when separated from their family of origin. If a child is removed from their family of origin, it is in the child’s best interests to be reunified with their family of origin as soon as safely possible. If a child is removed from their family of origin, the child should be placed with a relative whenever safely possible and in the child’s best interests. Strengthening families, through recommendations for services, supports, visitation and communications, is in the child’s best interests to achieve stability and/or reunification. Requires and demonstrates respect for the parents and all parties associated with the case. Ensures that information regarding the family’s strengths is incorporated into reports to the court. Ensures that information regarding the child’s wishes is incorporated into reports to the court. When a court determines a child cannot be safely reunified with their family of origin consistent with legal mandates, another permanent placement is in a child’s best interests.