A Court Appointed Special Advocate (CASA) volunteer is a specially-trained citizen who helps children have safe access to their parents and live in safe, nurturing homes. Appointed by a judge, CASA volunteers advocate for the best interests of children who have become involved in the court system due to abuse, neglect, custody, or parenting time disputes. Learn more about what it means to be a CASA volunteer.

Upcoming Volunteer Trainings

• Intensive Week Training: May 25 & 27; June 1, 3 & 5 | Evenings sessions 6-9 PM, Saturday 10 AM - 1 PM
• Flex Training: August 3 - 31 | Meets weekly on Tuesdays | 6 - 9 PM

Please email Nina Kimbrough if you are interested in volunteer sessions. You may also call 913-715-4042.

Joy Meadows provides families with community support, housing, and resources so that children impacted by foster care can find stability, healing, and joy.

Volunteers are needed to mentor children at their facility, help with administrative tasks, work in their garden or help with other projects on their grounds, and organize the clothing closet. You can also be a part of the prayer team or help with fundraising. Learn more and sign-up on their website.

Or join the Resurrection West men's group working on projects at Joy Meadows by contacting Dave Rock - rockbsmab@gmail.com.

The Foster Child Ministry is growing! If you are a foster/adoptive family we would love to get your feedback. Please click here to let us know how we can support you.

If you are interested in becoming a foster or adoptive parent or providing respite care or looking for ways to serve in this ministry please plan to attend our upcoming info meeting on Thursday, May 19^th at 7pm. This meeting will be held in person at Church of the Resurrection's Leawood location room B146
and online via Zoom. Click here to register.

Questions? Contact Roberta Lyle at roberta.lyle@cor.org or 913.544.0254.

According to CASA of Johnson & Wyandotte Counties -
Suburban poverty has more than doubled the number of struggling families living in Johnson County in the last decade. In fact, Johnson County is now one of the area's fastest-growing in numbers of children in need of care. And in Wyandotte County, more than 1 in 3 children (35%) live in poverty. Child abuse and neglect numbers for the two counties combined account for 27% of the abused and neglected Kansas population.

Each year, CASA volunteers within Johnson and Wyandotte Counties dedicate more than 15,000 hours to children. Appointed by a judge, CASA volunteers advocate for the best interests of children who have become involved in the court system due to abuse, neglect, custody, or parenting time disputes. Learn more about what it means to be a CASA volunteer.

Jackson County CASA (Court Appointed Special Advocates) works with children who have been placed in foster care due to parental abuse or neglect. Each child or sibling group is matched with a CASA volunteer who will help them navigate their time in foster care. Our CASA Volunteers visits the child or children monthly and advocate for their educational, medical, and therapeutic needs. CASA staff and Volunteers work together to ensure that each child served will have a safe and permanent home.

Each month, 30 to 40 children who have experienced abuse and neglect are referred to CASA. That is why we offer CASA Volunteer training every month, now via Zoom. In a series of 5 classes, you will learn how you can best advocate for a child who is in the Family Court system due to abuse and neglect. Contact Lisa Martin, LMartin@jacksoncountycasa-mo.org to schedule an information session to see if you are ready to become a CASA Volunteer.

Please note that these agencies may not share Church of the Resurrection's exact priorities and we do not endorse any particular political action. We offer you these agencies as a starting point for your own research and to introduce you to a few of the organizations you can follow and participate in.

Strengthen Families Rebuild Hope is an independent coalition of organizations and individuals dedicated to reforming Kansas's foster care system.

Missouri Kids First successfully advocates at the state and federal levels for policies and funding that prioritize the safety and well-being of children

We are excited to bring CarePortal as a way to serve children and families in our community. Historically, there have been no fast and effective ways for Child Welfare workers to connect with churches to help children and families in need—many are left struggling when the Church could step in to help.

CarePortal brings faith and government entities together by using a volunteer network and innovative technology to bring the needs of children and families in crisis to the attention of local churches. Child welfare workers uncover the needs. CarePortal makes local churches aware, giving them a real-time opportunity to respond.

Questions? Contact Patrick McLaughlin.

Help give foster parents a break during one of the free respite events at Church of the Resurrection's Leawood location. Volunteers are needed to assist the children as they take part in a variety of fun activities including watching a movie and enjoying lunch and snacks.

Upcoming Dates: TBD

If you are interested in volunteering, please contact Roberta.Lyle@cor.org

We need people who are not foster/adoptive themselves to help us with this ministry. Be part of a team that wraps around foster and adoptive families in our community, by providing once-a-month meals, lawn care, laundry, or other household help.

Contact Christie Walker to get involved!

KVC Health Systems is a national leader in behavioral healthcare, child welfare, and community health and wellness.

KVC clinical teams and essential frontline staff are working around the clock to care for the safety and mental health of our clients in their homes, in foster homes, and inside their children’s hospitals and residential treatment centers.

Volunteers are needed to assist with drives, donations, and activities. Learn more on the KVC website.

YOUTHRIVE is a nonprofit organization that is focused on empowering and supporting our foster youth as they transition to adulthood in Johnson and Wyandotte counties.

Our most critical ongoing need is for adult and family volunteers to serve as Support Families for one of the young people in our program.

YOUTHRIVE asks for a one to two-year commitment to working with the young adult on goals to help with their future and providing relational support. Applicants must be age 25 and up. For more information about the Support Family Model click here or Contact Tim Gay with questions.