Child Advocates of Silicon Valley has been awarded a $10,000.00 grant from the eBay Foundation Corporate Advised Fund at Silicon Valley Community Foundation.
The organization, which pledges a commitment to providing stability and hope to children who have experienced abuse and neglect by being a powerful voice in their lives, will use the funds to recruit, train and support Court Appointed Special Advocates (CASAs) to work one-on-one with foster children in Santa Clara County.
“We are thrilled to receive this amazing grant from the eBay Foundation and have to thank eBay employees and CASA volunteers Aileen Tokuda and Susan Schmitt, for championing our grant application,” said Karen Scussel, executive director of Child Advocates of Silicon Valley.
Child Advocates serves children from birth until age 21 in the Santa Clara County dependency system and reviews every child’s case entering the system—which consists of more than 1,700 children over the course of the year. Children who are most in need of services are either matched with a CASA or placed on the waiting list. This year, the agency’s goal is to match 780 foster children with a CASA volunteer
“Our vision is that every foster child has a positive view of the future and the opportunity to become a productive, healthy adult,” Scussel said. “This grant from eBay will enable us to recruit 40 new CASAs to serve 40 children on our wait list.”
Tokuda has been a CASA volunteer since September 2010 and has worked with the same child, Amanda, for the past five years.
“I became a CASA volunteer because I wanted to do something for children in need,” Tokuda said. “It’s so important for children to have a stable adult presence in their lives. By being a CASA, I can help to provide that stability and give children like Amanda, who have experienced abuse and neglect, support to create a better future for themselves.”
Schmitt began mentoring her foster youth, Aly, as an 11-year-old. She is now 15 and is enthusiastic about school and pursuing her dream of a medical career. Once a very shy pre-teen, Aly has now blossomed into a confident teenager.
“We spend a few hours a week together and take advantage of the events that Child Advocates of Silicon Valley hosts, such as picnics and cooking classes,” Schmitt said. “Funding from grants such as this one make these opportunities available for CASA volunteers and their youths to participate in, and are an excellent way for the youth to enjoy new experiences.”
The project was made possible in part through eBay Foundation’s Global Impact Team program, which empowers employees of eBay to support their communities through volunteerism and employee-sponsored grants. In 2014 alone, Global Impact Teams worldwide recommended over 250 nonprofits to receive grants totaling more than $1,200,000.
“eBay Foundation was established to reach beyond the boundaries of eBay’s virtual village to develop strong communities that bring people together,” said Amy Millington, president of eBay Foundation. “Through our Global Impact Teams, we’ve been able to identify and support a wide variety of outstanding programs that feed families in the San Francisco Bay Area, educate children in India, assist seniors in Germany, and serve the homeless in Austin—to name only a few.”
How to help?
To get involved, donate or volunteer, visit bemyadvocate.org. Next volunteer open house is scheduled from 6:15 p.m. to 8 p.m. Jan. 12 at the Sobrato Center for Nonprofits (1400 Parkmoor Avenue, San Jose).
Child Advocates of Silicon Valley by the numbers
Number of children served in 2015: 735
Number of volunteers 2015: 575
