Impact Report
How our CASAs and supporters made a difference for children in foster care in FY2022-2023
Creating Ripples of Hope, One Child
at a Time
Voices for Children (VFC) is the only nonprofit organization designated by the Superior Courts in San Diego and Riverside Counties to match youth in foster care with volunteer Court Appointed Special Advocates (CASAs). VFC recruits, trains, and supports CASAs to advocate for children or sibling groups in court, in school, and in the community to ensure their needs are met and their voices are heard.
CASAs create a powerful ripple effect that positively influences a child’s chances of thriving in school, work, and relationships. CASAs not only impact the children’s lives but also the lives of those they will influence as they grow throughout their lives. CASAs create ripples that last for generations.
“Voices for Children serves two of California’s most populous counties. We strive to be greater than the sum of our parts and leverage our resources, knowledge, and passion for children and families while ensuring that we are responsive to the needs of each community we serve.”
- JESSICA MUÑOZ, ESQ., MFS | PRESIDENT & CEO
The vital support of a CASA in cultivating a child’s interests and goals for the future makes all the difference. It has a ripple effect that can make a child the first in their family to graduate, an advocate for other youth, a happy adult with financial security, and even a parent who breaks the cycle of abuse in their family by providing a safe home for their own family. This transformational impact all starts with the transformational advocacy of a CASA.
This year, VFC supported 1,236 dedicated CASA volunteers as they advocated for youth in foster care across San Diego and Riverside Counties.
Our Impact in FY2022-2023
children served by Voices for Children across San Diego and Riverside Counties
community members served as CASA volunteers
Meeting Challenges, Leading Change
A Court Appointed Special Advocate (CASA) comes into a child’s life and provides individualized advocacy, a trusting relationship, and the personalized, caring attention they deserve. Our CASA volunteers make a difference, creating the opportunity for each child to thrive in a safe, nurturing environment.
That’s why Voices for Children (VFC) is honored to have connected 2,295 youth in foster care with CASAs and staff advocates this year alone. The one-on-one attention and advocacy only a CASA can provide offers children and families a consistent presence through challenging times. They facilitate nurturing relationships and help create a support network to keep families connected and together when safe and possible.
Stories from Our Program
Serving our region's youth in foster care
Service in San Diego County
FY22-23 was a year of continuity and innovation. We made great strides to advance the priorities and objectives of our Strategic Plan. We have augmented the diversity of our CASAs and staff members to reflect the identities of the children we serve and better meet their needs. We leveraged our partnerships to address specific challenges like the rise in youth mental health cases and a shortage of foster homes.
Our evolving CASA model surpassed our goal to serve more justice-involved youth and is regarded as a promising example of how to apply a CASA program to the juvenile justice system throughout the country.
In the following pages, you will see the ripple effects of our work serving the most vulnerable children in San Diego County.
Service in Riverside County
In the 22-23 Fiscal Year, Voices for Children supported 521 local children in foster care in Riverside County through our CASA program. The Riverside County CASA program started in 2015 with four staff members serving 70 children. Seven years later, the Riverside County CASA program has 13 dedicated staff members serving 521 children with the support of countless community partners who believe in our mission. Most importantly, Voices for Children has become a trusted organization with a reputation for making a positive difference in the lives of children in foster care.
The trust that has been built over the years in the community led to our groundbreaking partnership with the Pechanga Band of Indians. The Pechanga Band of Indians is a sovereign government with its own tribal court proceedings, and Voices for Children is honored to serve as the designated CASA program for any child under the jurisdiction of Pechanga’s Tribal Court.
“My CASA Daniel recognized my potential years before I could even dream of going to college and graduating from somewhere as prestigious as UCLA. He supported me and advocated for me when I didn’t see my window of opportunity. My CASA is one of the reasons I’m here today. He showed me that I was capable of meeting my goals and my voice was powerful enough to be heard. Daniel proved to me that my experiences in the foster care system will not limit me.”
- ANTHONY | UCLA CLASS OF 2023
SOCIOLOGY & COMMUNICATION
REAL WORD PANELIST
Our Financials
During Fiscal Year 2022-2023, Voices for Children received generous financial support totaling $8,278,859. Because of you, we were able to provide one-on-one advocacy to nearly 2,300 children living in foster care across San Diego and Riverside Counties.
