We are pleased to announce the appointment of our new Executive Director, Tony Waller, a former law school administrator with extensive experience in volunteer management and marketing. A WELCOME RECEPTION will be held on Wednesday, June 6 at our Children First Cottage from 5pm to 6:30pm.

Prior to joining us, Tony served as Assistant Dean of the University of Illinois College of Law, guiding students and alumni in career and professional development, marketing the law school and its programs to employers and the community, providing professional and career counseling to students and alumni, and serving as a resource for building legal services programs in the community. Previously, he also worked in career services for School of Law at the University of Georgia. He is a double graduate of the University of Georgia, earning a degree in Agricultural Economics as well as a Law degree. With his experience, Tony is bringing nearly twenty years of legal, human resources and governmental administration experience to us.

“Mr. Waller’s familiarity with the legal system brings important expertise to Children First, Inc. Just as important is his very personable approach to leadership. He is definitely up to the task of fulfilling our mission of helping children through difficult times in their lives and of facilitating better parenting,” said Sharon Nickols, chair of the our Board of Directors.

"I am excited to combine my passion for helping children with the opportunity to build community support for Children First programs," said Tony. "The capacity for assisting others is very deep in Athens, and I look forward to helping connect the community with those that often have the smallest voice." Tony began his duties on May 7.

Tony lives in Watkinsville with his wife, Kristin, who is a public defender in the Piedmont Judicial Circuit, focusing on juvenile courts in Barrow, Banks and Jackson Counties. They are the parents of three children. 

The volunteer appreciation event this year celebrated the hard work, dedication and accomplishments of our volunteers in CASA and Childcare programs. On May 1, we had a great time enjoying the backyard barbeque, outdoor games and sharing stories of hope and compassion with our volunteers, their families and friends and the community.

Throughout the year, our CASA volunteers have been spending countless hours ensuring that our community's most vulnerable are heard. They act as legal advocates for abused and neglected children, speaking up for their best interests in court and in the community. Meanwhile, our Childcare volunteers have been providing care for children in foster care while their foster parents are in continuing education classes. They have helped to surround children with strong, adult role models.

Being a volunteer is not an easy task. Preparations are filled with loads of information. They share the sorrow and joy with the kids and listen to their deepest concerns. They feel happy and blessed when seeing kids end up in safe homes, but might also experience frustration and anxiety when the best place available is not where they ideally desire. But after going through all the process, it is always rewarding to see a positive difference being made in children’s lives.

Now it is time for us to celebrate and to express the deepest gratitude. Thank you to all our volunteers for your dedication, your love for children, and the positive impact you have made in children’s lives.

Wednesday, April 25 was a great day. It was the day on which Administrative Professionals Day marked its 60th anniversary. Around 65 Administrative professionals from six different organizations in the Athens area came out to our luncheon at Trumps Ballroom. The luncheon has raised around $2,000 for us to help more neglected and abused children.

Administrative Professionals Day is known as part of the Administrative Professionals Week. This year, the week was from April 22 to 28. According to the International Association of Administrative Professionals (IAAP), the theme for this year is: “Admins, the pulse of the office.”

Today, facing the advanced technology and the complex economy, the job of administrative professionals has changed drastically. They not only need to maintain their traditional role as the gatekeepers for customers, clients and employees, but also need to efficiently manage the accurate and speedy movement of digital information. They are the masters of data and are one of the engines of business.

There are more than 4.1 million secretaries and administrative assistants working nationwide, and 8.9 million working in various administrative supporting roles, according to U.S. Department of Labor Statistics. Nowadays, job titles for administrative professionals cover a wide range including associate, coordinator, office supervisor, office manager, legal secretary, etc.

To celebrate the special day and to honor the work of administrative professionals in the Athens area, local organizations were invited to treat their admin staff for lunch. At the luncheon held by us, attendees enjoyed a salad plate lunch and the classical guitar music of Mark Maxwell, along with numerous door prizes from area businesses.

We are glad to see the smiles from the admin professionals. It was the day for them, and for everybody to recognize their hard work and contributions. Actually, every day is the day them, because they are the pulse of the office and the engines of business. Meanwhile, we are also looking forward to the smiles from children. With the proceeds from the luncheon, we will be able to help more children get through the times of family crisis.

We would like to say thank you to all who came out at the luncheon and to our donors--Trumps Catering, A Lafera Salon, Young Actors Studio, Merrill Lynch, Athens Home Organizer and Curtis and O'Hara Foundation for making the event possible.  

For more information about our donors, please visit our EVENTS page. 

For 10 years National CASA received $12 million in funding for the CASA program through the Victims of Child Abuse Act. We have used these vital funds to provide advocacy, training and technical assistance in support of almost 1,000 CASA programs around the country serving 240,000 neglected and abused children each year.

Last year Congress reduced the funding for CASA programs to $4.5 million. And now, the Administration has proposed eliminating all funding for this vital program in FY 2013.

A team of CASA representatives met with 40 congressional representatives last week and learned that there is a chance to restore full funding for this program provided enough congressional offices urge appropriators to do the right thing. But timing is critical.

You must do two things right now to restore CASA funding:

1. Immediately use Email, Facebook and Twitter to pass this alert along to staff, volunteers, board members, and your networks of friends and colleagues. 
2. Immediately contact your two senators and your one member of the US House of Representatives and send them the letter below. (You can cut and paste it into your email)

You can reach the two senators and one representative in our region from this link: http://www.congressmerge.com/onlinedb/cgi-bin/newseek.cgi 

Click on the “Contact Forms” and it will link you directly to each of the three congressional websites, from which you can submit your request.

It is imperative that we act quickly. If you have any questions, contact:staff@CASAforChildren.org.

Message to send to congressional offices:

Please urge the Appropriations Subcommittee on Commerce and Justice to restore appropriated funding of $12 million for the Court Appointed Special Advocate program for children (CASA).  Tell the subcommittee of your support, and include the CASA program on your appropriations programmatic request list.

CASA saves lives—The program has achieved unprecedented success in breaking the cycle of abuse and neglect, and offering our most vulnerable children hope of a safe, loving, permanent home.

CASA saves billions in taxpayer dollars—Every dollar spent on CASA yields $23 in savings in the foster care and family court systems.

CASA is good policy—It is the model of an outstanding public/private partnership. A nonprofit organization, backed by the Department of Justice, and fueled by 75,000 volunteer child advocates.

The need is urgent—With current resources we only reach 240,000 of the nearly 660,000 children in foster care. The proposed budget cut would devastate our ability to reach even the small fraction we do today.

This is society’s obligation—Protecting the rights and safety of abused and neglected children is one of society’s most fundamental obligations.

Restoring this funding is neither controversial nor debatable. These children need our help and CASA is the proven solution. Thank you for your attention and support of this critical issue!