MORGANTOWN – These are the kinds of numbers, Leah Turner says, that can make you feel intimidated and overwhelmed, even.
Depending upon which report you read, you’ll learn that there are nearly 6,000 children in foster care in West Virginia at present – give or take.
This, in a state with a total population of just 1.7 million people.
You’ll learn that right before the pandemic in 2020, that West Virginia was investigating 5,235 cases of child abuse and neglect, and that the year before that, it was even worse – with 5,975 reports of the same.
That’s where Turner, and CASA for Kids come in.
Turner, a Preston County native who previously worked with developmentally disabled adults in neighboring Maryland, is executive director of the Morgantown organization there for children and teens on the receiving end of those neglectful circumstances.
CASAs are the court-appointed special advocates who plant their feet for society’s youngest victims.
“Our advocates are the ‘adult in the room,’” Turner said.
Adults who help their client-kids navigate the court system while overseeing their placement in foster homes.
There’s always the goal of a reunion with the family, if that’s what best for the child, the executive director said.
In the meantime, there’s the day-to-day business of running the operation in Morgantown, Turner said – and that’s where you come in.
The “Denim and Diamonds” Gala to benefit CASA for Kids is set for March 21 at the Erickson Alumni Center in Morgantown.
This is the gala’s fourth year. Email Turner at leah@casaforkidsmpc.org or call the CASA for Kids office at 304-599-1087 for more information on the evening’s festivities.
For an operation that relies on grants, sponsorships and donations from the community, “Denim and Diamonds” couldn’t be more critical, Turner said.
“We’re so appreciative of the people who have attended the gala over the years and supported us,” she said. “That’s really special.”
So are the people who sign up to become volunteer advocates for CASA, she said. The interviewing and vetting process is extensive, she said, because it has to be.
Volunteers get trained, sworn in by a judge, get assigned a family and then get to know parents, teachers and foster parents – to better understand the child’s needs.
That means making reports and recommendations to the judge, Turner said. It means making a difference.
“We’re a voice,” she said. “For the most vulnerable.”
