Louisville, KY – January 5, 2021 – CASA of the River Region is now a Service Enterprise, a certification by Points of Light, the world’s largest organization dedicated to volunteer service. This prestigious accomplishment has been awarded to only 11 percent of non-profits in the nation. CASA of the River Region is among the very first organizations in the Commonwealth to earn this designation and was part of the inaugural class.
“This designation shows that we take seriously our goal of being one of the very best places to volunteer. As Kentucky's oldest CASA program, we have a demonstrated record of providing excellent service to the most vulnerable children of our community, which is only possible because of our CASAs and other volunteers," said William Myers, President/CEO of CASA of the River Region.
Certification signifies that organizations have the capability and management expertise to strategically use volunteers to improve the performance of their organization. By achieving this level of excellence and certification, CASA of the River Region is now better equipped to leverage the time and talent of volunteers and better meet their mission.
This comes during an especially critical time as Kentucky leads the nation in child abuse and neglect cases for the second year in a row. There is a call to action for the community to come together and volunteer. Because schools have been closed, teachers and coaches, often the first to spot abuse, have not be interacting with at-risk children. Child welfare experts say the number of child abuse incidents is most certainly on the rise and CASA needs to be prepared for what these experts say is presenting the child welfare system with the most serious challenge it has ever faced.
Research conducted by the TCC Group, a national program and evaluation firm, found that organizations operating as Service Enterprises outperform peer organizations on all aspects of organizational effectiveness, and are more adaptable, sustainable and capable of scaling their work.
The Service Enterprise program is a national change management program that helps organizations gain a greater return on volunteer investment to better achieve their mission. For further information regarding Service Enterprise, please contact //serve.ky.gov.
CASA volunteers commit to one to four hours a week to be a friend, mentor and advocate for children with active abuse/neglect cases in Family Court. To learn more, attend a virtual CASA 101, held every first and third Wednesday of the month. Info/RSVP: www.casarr.org/casa101.