St. Helens, OR -- (SBWire) -- 04/02/2014 --CASA for Kids of Columbia County is hosting their annual fundraiser breakfast on Tuesday, April 29th. The event will take place from 7:30 to 8:30 am at Meriweather Place, 1070 Columbia Boulevard, St. Helens, OR. This important fundraiser helps raise awareness and money to help abused and neglected children in Columbia County.

The breakfast is absolutely free and is intended to generate interest and support within the community for CASA for Kids. There will be a short presentation about the CASA program during the breakfast and Lindsey King, the director of the program will speak about her own harrowing experience as a child, living in 27 different foster homes within a ten year period. After the breakfast, attendees will be asked for voluntary donations, or to volunteer their time, and to spread the word about CASA for Kids.

CASA stands for Court Appointed Special Advocate. CASA’s are strictly volunteers who advocate for abused and neglected children who end up in the foster care system. CASA’s unfortunately are in short supply and currently only one in four children in Columbia County who need advocacy are getting it. Studies have shown that children who receive the support of a CASA spend considerably less time in foster care.

CASA for Kids in Columbia County currently only receives 20 percent of their funding from the state of Oregon. All other funding comes from donations. CASA needs operating capital to recruit, screen, and train new CASA volunteers. People interested in becoming a CASA are definitely encouraged to attend the breakfast.

“I urge anybody in the community to attend this breakfast, from business people, to individuals and church groups. We have 130 seats available in the brand new event center, Meriweather Place. I would like to see every one of those seats filled this year,” said Lindsey King, the director of the program. King says that CASA for Kids of Columbia County desperately needs the community’s help as up to 300 children per year end up in foster care in the county. “I’m hoping this will be our most successful event ever,” King said.

About CASA for Kids Columbia County
CASA for Kids is a local child advocacy program that prevents unnecessary time and trauma that children have to face while going through the court system.

Contact:
Lindsey King
CASA for Kids Inc. Columbia County
Email: events@casaforkidsinc.org
Phone: (503) 410-5097
Please RVSP by April 15th