4,000 Children Served by Capital Area CASA

Capital Area CASA has now served more than 4,000 children in foster care in East Baton Rouge Parish.

That number represents more than a milestone. It represents 4,000 children whose stories mattered. 4,000 children who deserved someone in their corner. Someone to listen, investigate, speak up, and make sure their best interests were represented in court.

The CASA movement began in Seattle in 1977 when Juvenile Court Judge David Soukup recognized a problem: judges were making life-changing decisions about children who had experienced abuse and neglect without always having enough information about their lives. His solution was to recruit and train community volunteers to advocate for children in court. The idea quickly spread, eventually becoming the nationwide CASA movement we know today.

Fifteen years later, that idea came to East Baton Rouge Parish. In 1992, a group of concerned community members established Capital Area CASA Association as a nonprofit dedicated to recruiting, training, supervising, and supporting volunteers who advocate for children in foster care.

Since then, 1,712 CASA volunteers have worked 2,353 cases and provided a voice for children in our community. In 2025 alone, 180 volunteer advocates served 311 children, contributing 4,822 volunteer case hours and helping 79 children reach safe, permanent homes.

And now, we’re looking toward the next 4,000 children.

Could you be part of what comes next?

Our next CASA Volunteer Bootcamp is November 18–20th. This training is the first step toward becoming a CASA volunteer and making a lasting difference in the life of a child.

If you aren't able to volunteer, you can still help the next 4,000 children by inviting us to speak, supporting a child for Christmas, volunteering to help with an event, or making a donation to support the work of Capital Area CASA.

4,000 children have already had a CASA volunteer in their corner. Help us make sure the next child does, too.