2015 Annual ReportWhat’s Inside

» 2015 Numbers: Children Served, Cases Closed, Active Volunteers, Financials and more

» Powerful Moments of Advocacy» 2015 Highlights: Early Family Engagement, our

30th Anniversary and National CASA awards» The generous donors who make this work possible

VisionFor every child who needs us, CASA of Travis County envisions a trained volunteer advocate, a safe home and a promising future.

MissionCASA of Travis County exists to promote and protect the best interest of children who have been abused or neglected, by training volunteers to advocate for them in courts, in schools and in our community to help them find safe, permanent and loving homes.

2015 Board of Directors

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$100,000+Anonymous (1)Michael & Susan Dell FoundationRGK Foundation

$50,000 - $99,999Austin Community FoundationImpact AustinKaren & George Manson

$25,000 - $49,999Anonymous (1)Anne & Bud BrighamJuli & Everett CarmodyConway & Associates, Inc.Dr Pepper/Seven Up, Inc.Terri & Scott IngrahamLisa & Todd LewisThe Lowe FoundationKristina & John ReckerMelissa & David RubinTopfer Family FoundationEmily & Daniel WalkerCarin & Paul Zito

$10,000 - $24,999Anonymous (1) 3MAustin Bar FoundationAustin Christian FellowshipCarl C Anderson, Sr. and Marie Jo Anderson Charitable FoundationDenise & Jerry ConwayMeghan & Stephen ElwellIla & John FalveyMelinda & Guy GraceStephanie & Jerry GregoireJohnson & JohnsonThe Junior League of AustinKappa Alpha Theta - UT ChapterCasey & Kelly KopeckyBrenda & Lance LangfordCarolyn LewisThe Long FoundationCarolyn & Tom NicewarnerDyan Rody & Warren WaltersDesha & Paul RoosLisa & Phil RosenbaumCatherine & Charles SansburyEmily Sile-TwitchellCesca SilvaDonna Stockton-HicksKim & Carter StricklandDayna & Mark SuttonTexas Bar FoundationPaul TwitchellMelinda & Barry TwomeyWhitebox Advisors LLCWright Family Foundation

$5,000 - $9,999 Anonymous (1) Kathi & David AllenBaylor Scott & WhiteAlina & John BerkowitzJessica & Jimmy BlacklockPam & Jeff BrownBurdine Johnson FoundationPatricia Burgess & Doug JeffriesLinda & David CarterConocoPhillips CompanyYolanda & Chris ConyersThe Costigan Family FoundationCross Texas Transmission LLCDell, Inc.Kelly & Lee DodsonDonald D. Hammill FoundationElectric Transmission Texas, LLCA Glimmer of Hope FoundationTracy & Matt HamiltonHarutunian Engineering Inc.HealthTronics, Inc.In-N-Out Burger FoundationChristine & Robert JefferisLaw Offices of R. Kemp KaslingTina & Jonathan KemmererKendra Scott Jewelry/KFACTOR LLCDana & Max LeamanLola Wright FoundationHeather & Buddy LongMDRT FoundationMitchell Williams Selig Gates & WoodyardTerry & Brian ModoffKathryn Nowlin DuncanPerkins-Prothro FoundationJane Quentan PiperKari & Lee PottsPotts Blacklock Senterfitt, PLLCRandolph Brooks Federal Credit UnionRetailMeNot, Inc.Kim & Jared SlosbergStrake FoundationSXSW Conferences & FestivalsteleNetwork Partners, Ltd.Laura D. Wolf

$2,500 - $4,999Anonymous (1)ABC BankStacey & Daren AustinDonna & Kevin BellSandra & Art BooneKarie & Ben BoscoBrandywine Realty TrustJennifer A. BrockwellCapital OtolaryngologyRhonda & Skip ChandlerCoca-Cola RefreshmentsJacquelyn & Collin Cox

Kelly & Phillip DixonDana & Craig DoerksenJohn P. EganJune EllisEnoch Kever PLLCExxonMobil FoundationFleckman & McGlynn, PLLCJulie & Ryan FosterFrost National BankJoyee & Randal GoodallElizabeth & Gary GunterJennifer Waisath Harris & Rand HarrisH-E-BKim & Kyle HughesKemp KaslingDebbie & Chick KobelanLenovoAnn & John LubbenShelley & Steve MalachowskiMAXIMUS FoundationStephanie & Michael McCollumKennedy & John NeffNicole & Spencer NoahVincent & Dara ProthroRachael & Ben Vaughan FoundationMisty & Bill ReidPam & Leonard RussoAlexandra & Matthew RussoJill & Ben SheppardSt. Christopher’s Episcopal ChurchBeth & Frank StabileLisa & Robert StringerDouglas A. TaylorTexas Capital BankElin & Leon TosseUBSVelocity Credit UnionWilson Sonsini Goodrich & Rosati Foundation

$1,000 - $2,499Anonymous (2)Allen Financial ServicesTracy & Peter AmanPaul ArdiThe Austin Diagnostic ClinicBack to the TableElizabeth Barsalou & Scott WoodburyJanet M. BatesAnn L. Benolken & Mark EngelingFayruz Benyousef & Malek Ben-MusaBilingual Sisters LLCBimbo Bakeries USAKathleen & Randy BomerTerri & David BrighamMarni BurgerAnn & John BurnsBetsy & David ButtrossThe Honorable Darlene & Mr. Daniel Byrne

If you feel you’ve been left off this list or we misspelled your name, please accept our apologies and kindly let us know so we can properly thank you.

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2015 Fiscal ReportRevenue & Community

Support Total: $3,996,517*Expenses Total:

$3,458,731

*In accordance with accounting rules includes net $370,619 in pledges or grants of funds to be paid in future years.

82%$2,833,441

Program Services

12% - $415,307 - Fundraising

6% - $209,983 - Administration

2015 Donors

34%$1,338,750

Foundation Grants

26% - $1,030,086 Government Grants

25% - $1,011,386Individual/Corporate Contributions

15% - $616,295Special Events, Net

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Rossi & Kevin ByrneAmy & Adam CallawayCambridge SystematicsCapital City Post #8787 VFWCapitol Anesthesiology AssociationCharitable Adult Rides & Services, Inc.Charles Schwab Corporation FoundationCJR Foundation, Inc.IBM CorporationJames & Katelena CowlesRobert CratchitBrooke & Calvin CrowderDarrell & Brenda DavidLaura & Peter DeelstraDeloitte ConsultingPeggy & Bob DickersonLuAnn DicksonPatricia Donahue & Paul KaronRosemary & Russell DouglassDebbie DupinMark D. EichornElectronic ArtsAnissa & Todd EverettJenny & Jason FordJessica & Robert FullerMorgan & Ben GaddisThomas C. GallatinLuigi GallicchioAry & David GardnerLonny R. GorganJennifer & Dallas GrantCarol & Morris GravesJerome T. Gregoire, Jr.Julie & David GrevelleGriffin Industries

Bonita Griffith & David ChasisLindsey & Mark HannaLisa HannuschAlice & Tom HarrisonCheryl & Corey HartKara & Jay HartzellJackie & Albert HawkinsCindy & Peter HayesG Herver & Brad HermesDeborah HolleyHome for the HolidaysHomeCity Inc.Kristi & Erik HooverDebra & Brett HurtShanna Igo & Kevin FlemmingDavid P. JaniceDana KaslingKorean Baptist Church of AustinBarb Kowal & Nancy WallingKPMG, L.L.P.L’Aiglon FoundationKathy & Bodey LangfordSheila & Casey Gorden LeamanCatherine & Clay LevitMelissa & Wade LorberLorenz & Lorenz, LLPHollis Lowery-Moore & Jerry MooreCara MaglioccoCelina & Vaughn MankeyLisa & Mark McCrimmonKimberly & Marlin MetzgerMary & Lynn MoakLisa & Steven MohrChristi & Daniel MondrikAmanda & Christopher MontgomeryLeeAnne & Todd Moore

Michele MorrisonJ. Fulton & Catherine MurrayMargaret & Jack MurrayNidhi & Tanuj NakraJanna & Jack NashNational InstrumentsLiz & Brad NeffJulie Winn & Greg NeffJulianne Nelson & Richard MattinglyKathleen & Martin OttoPatricia & Bob OttoRebel & Anthony PaisPlainsCapital BankPaula & Terry PlumNancy & Mark PollardQuanta Services, Inc.Timi & Phillip QuiciLaurel & Joel ReedRegions BankCheryl & Michael RennaBitsy & Bill RiceKey & Hank RichardsonRiverKids Pediatric Home HealthRobert RoosaBenjamin Rubenstein & Sara HuittDevon & Daniel RussoJoyce & Jack SampsonCarolyn SchilthuisAmanda & Dick SchmidtAngela H. ScholzenDebra Schultz & Gary G. SandersSerendipity GiftsAbha SethiClaire & David SimmondsSarah & Clint SmithJulie & Rolf SnyderSonrisas Therapies - Pediatric Home & Healthcare ServicesSusan G. SpiveySquare One Consultants IncStar Customs IncSuperior HealthPlanAndrea & Andy SwansonPam & David TerresonRenee & Brandon ThomasSheri & Craig TolliverBeth & Bo TownsendLily & Paul TracyUrban Mattress South AustinSarah & Andy ValenzuelaKyrrha & Steve WackerAshley & Robert WhitfieldSacha & Peter Whitney-CashioMary & Robert WilburMona Williams & Jim BarhamThe Woodhouse Day SpaAshley & David WrightPeter Von WupperfeldYodleElizabeth L. Young & Tommy R. VascocuDaphne & Paul Zuniga

The donors listed in bold were members of our Powerful Voice Society in 2015. These individuals care deeply about CASA’s mission and have provided one or more children with a CASA volunteer for a year through their campaign gifts of $1,500 or more.

Everett Carmody, President

Benjamin Rubenstein, Vice President

Ashley Wright, Secretary/Treasurer

John BerkowitzJessica BlacklockAnne Brigham

Alicia Duleba Meghan ElwellStephanie GregoireMatthew HamiltonDebbie HolleyTodd Lewis

Lee PottsDavid RubinJohn ReckerDonna Stockton-HicksMaria WrightPaul Zito

Powerful Moments of AdvocacyWhat if you didn’t know where your mother was buried?Alex came into foster care at age 7 and has been in the system for almost a decade. CASA has been by his side the whole time. Alex was so young when he came into care that he didn’t remember any of his family except for his mother. Unfortunately, she passed away while he was in foster care and he was not notified until later. Through our years getting to know Alex and helping him through the struggles of growing up in foster care, he always wanted to know where his mother was buried. His CASA volunteer got our Family Finding team involved in the case to see what they could accomplish. Our Family Finding volunteer discovered that his mother had passed away in a nursing home, but it was so long ago that they no longer had her files. All of the other leads on where she might be buried were coming up with nothing. At the same time, this volunteer was seeking out relatives and sent a Facebook message to an aunt she had discovered. Months into this search the volunteer heard back from the aunt who not only had additional family members interested in getting to know Alex, she also had an answer to his long-standing question. This aunt told the volunteer that his mother had been cremated and that she had her ashes. The aunt had even saved a separate box just for Alex in case he ever found her. Alex can finally have closure about what happened to his mother, and he now has renewed connections to his family that could help him in the future.

2015 HighlightsLaunch of Early Family Engagement programAfter starting the Family Finding program in 2013, CASA saw the need to expand this project to engage relatives at the very beginning of cases. In 2015 we began our Early Family Engagement (EFE) program with the goals of helping children avoid foster homes if relatives can care for them, keeping kids connected to family if in foster care, and giving CASA volunteers a head start with better information and placement options when taking a new case. EFE uses experienced CASA volunteers to gather in-depth information immediately upon CASA’s appointment to the case. EFE volunteers then share their knowledge with the CASA volunteer who takes the case long term. EFE has the added benefit of helping us build a strong rapport with parents early in the case, and, with the support of engaged relatives, encouraging parent accountability. Just recently a large sibling group was split among multiple foster homes and shelters upon coming into care. Our interviews with the children proved they were all very bonded, and identified a number of relatives to contact. Before the initial hearing we were able to learn more about the mother’s background, evaluate a grandmother as a placement and engage a huge network of family members. The court ordered the siblings be placed with their grandmother who can help hold their mother accountable as she works through services to move towards reunification.

30th Anniversary and 10,000 children servedIn 2015 we celebrated 30 years of empowering Austin to speak up for children and the milestone of having advocated for more than 10,000 children since 1985. Volunteers, staff, board members, judges and supporters from throughout CASA’s 30-year history came together at a reunion party at Salt Lick BBQ in November to wrap up the year’s festivities!

National CASA honors Travis County with Awards of ExcellenceNational CASA named The Honorable Darlene Byrne as Judge of the Year for her leadership at local, state and national levels, and our Family Finding Program was named one of two Promising Practice Spotlights during the 2015 annual conference. Though not the first, or only, CASA program to engage in diligent search efforts for placements for children, we have created a unique and specific model and embarked on the most comprehensive family-finding effort in the history of CASA in Texas.

2015 Program Numbers1,834Total children served by CASA

848New children assigned to CASA

741Children’s cases closed with the help of CASA

76%Children’s cases closed with family reunification or relative placement

86%Children’s cases closed with a permanent home

Of the 2,246 childrenin the Travis County courts

due to abuse or neglect...

1,552 children had a dedicatedCASA volunteer thanks to our

647 active volunteers(including 203 new volunteers)

282 children were servedby CASA staff members

412 children still needed CASA’s advocacy

53%Reunified with parents

Of the 741 children’s cases closed

23% Adopted byor live with relatives

10% Adopted by or live with non-relatives

10% Other (Includes courtesy work from other CASA programs, cases dismissed, other outcomes)

4% Aged out of the system

Child Age/Gender0-4 = 34%5-13 = 45%14-17 = 17%18 and over = 4%51% male and 49% female

Child Race/EthnicityHispanic = 37%African-American = 24%Caucasian = 21% Bi-Racial/Multi-Racial = 16%Other/Not Specified = 2%

Director of Family Engagement AJ Renold, Executive Director Laura Wolf, The Honorable Darlene Byrne and Board Member Jessica Blacklock at the National CASA awards.

Who was there to support you when you turned 18?Just four days from turning 18 and aging out of foster care, Vanessa desperately needed to get her state ID. This ID would be crucial for her to be able to enroll in school, get a job, set up a bank account, travel and live independently as an adult. Securing this ID can be especially challenging for youth in foster care because they may not have a permanent residence address. Vanessa’s CASA volunteer sat with her at the Department of Motor Vehicles office for hours, explaining her situation to the staff, advocating for her unique needs and shuffling through endless paperwork until, together, they were able to confirm a consistent address that allowed Vanessa to get her ID. While she has many challenges ahead of her, Vanessa at least has this important identification, thanks to her CASA volunteer.

Have you ever needed a little more time to catch up?Ellie experienced severe neglect in the first few formative years of her life. At nearly 5 years old, she was still non-verbal and not fully potty-trained. She lagged far behind her kindergarten classmates. When her school was preparing to advance her to first grade, her CASA volunteer advocated to enroll her in kindergarten again, knowing Ellie needed a little more time to start talking and build up her social and motor skills. The school listened to CASA’s recommendation and Ellie did really well her second time through kindergarten. Now she is talking, happy, social and well-adjusted. Ellie has even started first grade! As an added bonus, Ellie, who at the beginning of the case mostly ignored her baby sister, Mia, has now grown to be really bonded and affectionate with her sister.

How would you feel without your sister and family?Lucy and her baby brother Nicolas were separated into two different homes when the case opened because their aunt and her large family were only able to care for Lucy at the time. Six months into the case, the aunt said she was now ready to care for Nicolas as well, yet she suddenly faced opposition from Child Protective Services. Her family was undocumented, spoke only Spanish and had many relatives living together in their large home. The CASA volunteer and supervisor were the only people on the case who could communicate with them. CASA was concerned that cultural biases were hindering the decision to move Nicolas into the home along with his sister. During a contested hearing the CASA volunteer strongly advocated for the sister and brother to both live with their aunt and be connected to their relatives and culture. The judge agreed with CASA and both children are happily growing up with their aunt, who ultimately adopted them into their big new forever family.