The Christian County Court Appointed Special Advocates (CASA) organization has been awarded a grant for nearly $49,000. CASA are trained community volunteers appointed by judges to provide information and make recommendations to the court about what is in the best interests of children who have been removed from their homes due to neglect or abuse.
The Governor’s Office and the Kentucky Justice and Public Safety Cabinet made the announcement Sunday that the Christian County organization received in the amount of $48,947 for Victims of Crime Act (VOCA) for grant activity from October 1, 2019 through September 30, 2020.
The CASA program in Christian County was launched in January and the first trained volunteer was sworn-in during a ceremony in March at the Justice Center in Hopkinsville.
Christian County’s CASA program Executive Director Virginia Erxleben says this is the first time a new first-year program has successfully applied for the grant and was a recipient in the first year.
A ceremony to celebrate the recipients of the VOCA grants and their important work will be held at the state Capitol in Frankfort Wednesday morning.
