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(SAN ANTONIO) — Citing his ongoing battle against child abuse and the passage of a Foster Children's Bill of Rights in the last session of the Legislature, Texas CASA presented Sen. Carlos Uresti its "Big Voice for Little Texans" Award — for the second time.
Uresti accepted the award on Monday, Aug. 22, during a graduation ceremony for 35 new CASA volunteers at the group's San Antonio headquarters.
"I'm both honored and humbled to receive this award, but thankfully my voice isn't the only one speaking out for foster kids in Texas," Uresti told the volunteers, adding that each one should expect a wonderfully rewarding experience.
CASA — Court Appointed Special Advocates — screens and trains volunteers who represent a foster child's best interests in court. Each volunteer gets to know the child in their charge and communicate with people in the child's life, including their family, teachers, doctors, lawyers, social workers and others.
According to CASA, last year 345 volunteers served 1,329 abused and neglected children in Bexar County. Unfortunately, that number represented only one-third of the children who needed someone to help speak up for them. But help is on the way.
Uresti helped Judge Peter Sakai swear in the newest class of volunteers, who will soon be on the job. The event also featured a $25,000 donation to CASA from the Walmart Foundation’s State Giving Program.
The “Big Voice For Little Texans” award is reserved for legislators who exhibited leadership during the legislative session in making foster children a priority.
“We wanted to show our appreciation for Sen. Uresti’s continued leadership on behalf of the 42,000 children that are in state custody each year due to abuse and neglect allegations,” said Texas CASA
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