CASA to spin off from Interface Children & Family Services July 1st
Santa Paula News
Published: June 08, 2011
The Interface Board of Directors, the CASA of Ventura County Council and Erik Sternad, Interface’s Executive Director, have agreed to spin off Interface’s Court Appointed Special Advocates (CASA) program as an independent 501c3.
The CASA Council of Ventura County is a dedicated group of volunteers who have been leading the fund raising efforts for Interface’s CASA program. The CASA Council has been looking for the opportunity to create greater awareness and sustainability for CASA. Many California counties have their own CASA organizations and in fact, most CASA organization’s across the state are independent, stand alone non-profits.
The CASA of Ventura County program started in 1986 under an agency known as Child Abuse and Neglect, Inc. (CAAN). A number of year’s later, CAAN merged with Interface and Interface has operated the CASA of Ventura County program ever since. Today, the CASA of Ventura County program is a vibrant, successful, volunteer-driven advocacy service to vulnerable foster youth in our county’s social service dependency system. Every day, volunteer CASA’s help foster youth to navigate the complex legal system that governs nearly all aspects of their young lives. As sworn officers of the court, CASA’s collaborate with lawyers and social workers and assure that abused and neglected kids have voices in decisions made about them.
After careful planning and joint consultation, Interface and CASA have agreed to spin off the CASA of Ventura program from Interface as of July 1st, 2011. CASA of Ventura County volunteers have formed their own corporation and applied for non profit status in anticipation of this move. Interface has agreed to officially close the CASA program as of June 30th, 2011 (as an Interface program), and then the newly independent CASA organization will start their operations on July 1st, 2011 with their new leadership and staffing structure.
Having established their corporate status with the state of California, CASA of Ventura is in the final stages of establishing an independent 501c3, California Non-Profit Public Benefit Corporation. The Board of this newly formed organization consists of: Eric Dersom (Chair and CASA volunteer since 2006), Teresa Romney, pro bono consultant and Marianne Escaron (CASA Council Co-Chair). Eric and Teresa will serve as Interim Executive Directors of the CASA of Ventura County organization starting on July 1st, 2011.
CASA programs across the state rely heavily on the generosity of their communities, and CASA of Ventura County is largely dependent on grants and donations from foundations, corporations, and individuals. With this announcement, the newly formed CASA Board is kicking off a fund raising campaign to raise $100,000 in 2- year operating cash reserves.
The Interface Board has approved CASA’s request to spin the program off as an independent 501c3 non- profit organization, and believes that the newly formed CASA Board has the expertise, passion and business plan to maintain the program as an independent organization. Interface will be providing support to the new CASA organization during this transition. Although as of July 1st, 2011, there will be no legal affiliation between Interface and CASA of Ventura County, both organizations have pledged to support and encourage each other in the vital work of both organizations.
Interface will miss the CASA program and the vibrant energy the staff and volunteers bring to this important work. Our appreciation goes out to the CASA staff and volunteers for their hard work and dedication to foster youth across our county. Although the CASA program represents less than 3% of Interface’s overall budget and staff, CASA of Ventura County will remain a vital service to foster youth in our county.
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