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Oregon Road Conditions & Cams Email Story to a Friend August 24, 2005 Brightly colored children�s figures fill the hallway of the new home of Jackson County�s CASA agency, which provides advocates for abused youngsters in court. Director Ed Mayer says the building will allow organizers to recruit badly-needed volunteers. Mail Tribune / Bob Pennell CASA gets needed space The new digs will allow the Jackson County program for abused kids to recruit more volunteers to help more children By JONEL ALECCIA Mail Tribune For the first time in its 15-year history, the Jackson County CASA program has a home of its own. To be sure, the cinderblock building on Medford’s Market Street isn’t much to look at. Tucked between a coffee stand and a veterinarian’s office, it could use a little landscaping and perhaps a nice patio set. But for organizers of the agency that helps abused and neglected children in court, the new place might as well be a palace. Space alone was limiting growth of the agency that serves 400 children a year — but has a waiting list of 400 more, said Ed Mayer, the former Jackson County sheriff’s captain who now heads the nonprofit organization. "We couldn’t recruit more volunteers because we didn’t have the space to train or to serve them," said Mayer, 53. "The bottom line is, we needed this building to provide more services to kids in need." Advertisement Thanks to a $60,000 grant from the Oregon Community Foundation, CASA officials were able to put a down payment on the $410,000 building last spring. Staff members moved in last month. With 2,700 square feet of new office space, meeting rooms — even a kitchen — CASA officials are preparing for what they hope is a flood of new volunteers to augment the 112 already certified. No question, the need is there, said Mayer. An epidemic of methamphetamine use locally and across Oregon has boosted child neglect and abuse cases — and the need for CASAs, as the volunteers are called. In two years, the number of children served and those waiting for help has jumped by a third or more, CASA figures show. Mayer, who previously headed the sheriff’s JACNET narcotics team, said even that experience didn’t prepare him for the ravages the drug perpetuates on children. "It has taken me to come to CASA and specialize in child abuse to see the impact," he said. "You have parents who are addicted to meth who don’t take care of their kids." Volunteers with CASA — Court Appointed Special Advocates — typically spend about 10 hours a month for two years helping individual children as they navigate the complicated justice system. "We call it the toughest volunteer job in the county," said Mayer, who noted that CASAs often are called on to determine difficult questions of custody and adoption. Still, about 90 percent of the people who show up for CASA’s 40-hour trainings go on to work with kids. Many stay for years, relishing the opportunity to advocate for change in the lives of vulnerable children, Mayer said. "The best part of my job is working with people who have hearts as big as the world," he said. The most challenging part of the job may well be the constant quest for funding, especially in the two years since the agency separated from Jackson County to become an independent nonprofit. Mandated by state law, the local CASA has an annual budget of about $307,000. About $87,000 of that money comes from state and local government, including Jackson County and the cities of Medford and Ashland. About $100,000 comes from grants, with the largest share — about $120,000 — is made up of individual and community donations. That’s fine with Mayer, whose believes community resources should be used to solve community problems. A capital campaign will be launched in the next few months. "I want to build a broad local donor base," Mayer said. In the meantime, volunteers interested in helping children — or in supporting the agency that helps them — are welcome. Orientations and trainings are planned for later this summer. For information, call 734-2272. Reach reporter JoNel Aleccia at 776-4465, or e-mail CASA gets needed space ">[email protected] . Mail Tribune Home | Local News | Sports | Business | Obituaries | Life | Opinion AP News | Archives | Site Map | Community | Classified Copyright © 1997-2005 Mail Tribune, Inc. All rights reserved. Privacy Policy | Terms & Conditions | Website Feedback www.bingo.com Home Security Systems Trunks, Footlocker dvd-r Distance Education Computer Security Ztech Media Hosting Sports Equipment Online Casino Reviews Student Loans tcg student loan consolidation Online Pharmacy online casino Myspace Home Equity Loans Windermere Van Vleet Rogue Valley Travel Reservationstogo Hotel Reservations Southern Oregon Loans Online Casino News Natto Kinase Nattokinase Casino Gambling Sites Budget Website Templates Investments & Loans Advertisement s