Port Arthur, Mid County steps up to help foster care children
Published 9:45 am Monday, February 24, 2020
- Judge Randy Shelton, pictured from left, swears in Kerri Burnstine, Jimmy Hampton, Katy Robbins and Barnestine Ray as Court Appointed Special Advocates during a ceremony in October of 2019 at 279th District Court. (Courtesy photo)
The caring hearts of residents who make up Port Arthur and Mid County are on display this week for those who can benefit the most — neglected children.
Judge Randy Shelton is scheduled to swear in 11 new CASA volunteer advocates and six new partners Tuesday in Beaumont. Most of those volunteers are local residents.
The Advocates include Jennifer Johnson of Nederland, Diana Leach of Groves, Tonya Morvent of Port Neches, Lisa Geoffroy of Port Neches, Chasity Ramirez of Port Neches, Terri Runte of Port Neches and Sheila Trahan of Port Arthur.
Partner Advocates include Precious Brown of Port Arthur, Laurie Cooper of Nederland, Patrick Johnson of Nederland and Allen Runte of Nederland.
CASA of Southeast Texas has a goal of providing a volunteer for every foster child in Jefferson County to represent the child’s best interest in cases of abuse and neglect.
Without CASA volunteers, the children have no voice. CASA leaders stress that volunteers have completed more than 30 hours of training.
Anyone interested in becoming a CASA advocate can sign up for the next training in March.
For more information about being an advocate, call 409-832-CASA (2272).
Court Appointed Special Advocates of Southeast Texas, Inc. is a nonprofit service organization that recruits, trains and supervises a diverse group of community volunteers, appointed by the courts for abused and neglected children in the pursuit of safe, permanent homes.
