The League of Women Voters of Oak Ridge welcomes the community to its next Lunch with the League at Noon, Tuesday, February 16. The speaker will be Amanda Brackett, Program Coordinator for CASA (Court Appointed Special Advocates) of Anderson County. The gathering will be virtual and may be accessed by following instructions provided at the close of this article.

Founded in 1988 to provide a voice for hundreds of children removed annually from homes in our community due to abuse and neglect, CASA of the Tennessee Heartland includes Blount, Scott and Anderson Counties. A non-profit, volunteer-based agency, CASA seeks to provide a trained, court-appointed volunteer advocate for every child going through the court system through no fault of their own.

The last 23 years have abundantly demonstrated the benefits accruing to children with a CASA volunteer. In contrast to 92% of children who age out of foster care only to be incarcerated or homeless within 18 months, children with a volunteer by their side, speaking on their behalf, do not get lost or forgotten in the system. They receive necessary services and medications and their time in foster care is cut in half. They are also less likely to return to the court system.

Amanda Brackett has been the Program Coordinator for CASA in Anderson County for almost three years. Amanda supervises CASA volunteers and does community outreach, seeking out and training new volunteers. Having lived in East Tennessee for most of her life, she graduated from Maryville College in 2016 with a bachelor’s degree in Child Development. She has experience in social services, program development, and served as a CASA volunteer before taking her position with CASA of the Tennessee Heartland. She has a passion for helping those in need, especially children, and is active in our community, serving on several boards and committees.

Lunch with the League welcomes League members and nonmembers alike to this informative presentation. For instruction on linking to the live presentation, contact maryannreeves1 [at] att.net. A couple of days later, you may view the recorded session on the League’s website (https://my.lwv.org/tennessee/oak-ridge).

The League of Women Voters of Oak Ridge is a nonpartisan political organization for men and women. It encourages informed and active participation in government, works to increase understanding of major public policy issues, and influences public policy through education and advocacy.