Carly Owens has long known she’d like to one day be a foster parent for reunification. She loves working with children and volunteering, so much so that, when interviewing for a job at Cotality (formerly CoreLogic), she asked if they were supportive of their employees being active in the community. She was pleased to learn that Cotality supports volunteerism, and even provides paid volunteer time off (VTO). She has now been with them as a Senior External Communications Manager for two years and uses her VTO to volunteer with CASA. 

Carly first learned of CASA years ago when she was in college. She said, “I’m known in my friend group as the consistent one, the one who always shows-up and always communicates. And that is what a CASA does. Knowing I wanted to be a foster parent one day, I thought it would be a good fit to help me learn how to support kids effectively.” 

She initially had some concerns about volunteering since she has been grappling with a painful condition called Complex Regional Pain Syndrome (CRPS). She developed CRPS in the wake of an injury she sustained in her final weeks of grad school, and has not been able to put excessive amounts of weight on her right foot for the past three years. Carly recalls, “I initially thought I would have recovered by the time I finished training, so I figured it would be a non-issue. When that wasn’t the case, I expressed my concern about my limitations as a volunteer and the CASA staff was incredibly supportive and assured me I could still be a valuable contributor.”

Carly speaks highly of her CASA training, “I was so impressed with all the training, from the ease of using the platform, to the intentionality around being trauma-informed. You need that awareness working with youth in foster care. It was also helpful to learn the language (and many acronyms) of the dependency court system. CASA was very intentional in helping us understand the system and curating excellent speakers, so we were as well-equipped as possible.”

“I’ve been volunteering since the fifth grade and have never seen an organization that is as diverse as CASA, and intentional about education for its volunteers. When I attended the in-person training, I looked around at the variety of people: college kids and retirees, different ethnicities, and gender identities. It was so impactful for me. That's exactly what you need since the youth come with such different stories and you want to match kids with people who understand as much as possible.” Carly added, “That’s why I talk about CASA so much and share social media posts about the need for more CASAs from all walks of life. I genuinely love being an advocate and the mission of the CASA organization.” 

Carly says she was initially surprised to be matched with a Non Minor Dependent (NMD) since most of her previous volunteer work was with younger children. “Although I had more familiarity working with younger kids, I requested a match wherever there was the greatest need. My Advocate Supervisor was looking for a younger CASA who could help *Lydia navigate the college landscape and it’s been so fun to be able to help her with those kinds of things. Carly laughs as she adds, “My college journey started at community college, and I never thought my obscure knowledge of how to manage terrible community college websites would ever come in handy again! I remind Lydia that community college is a great opportunity and the perfect place to explore her interests. I want her to know she has the potential to be anything and do anything.”

There have been many complex twists and turns in Lydia and Carly’s time together and Carly has been there for it all. Through Lydia’s job searches, court appearances and housing instability, Carly has been there to support her. Carly shares, “Being at every court hearing really showed her I mean it when I say, ‘I’m there for you no matter what - I’m not going anywhere.’ I believe she has the ability to break the cycle as long as she leans into the resources she has.”

Carly has relied on her CASA Advocate Supervisor to help her navigate the difficult situations along the way. She says, “My supervisor has been super responsive and helpful about when to give Lydia guidance versus when to just listen. I’ve had to text her over the weekend and she has provided me with a bunch of resources that I’ve then passed on to Lydia. That’s been one of the many ways I’ve shown my kiddo that I am invested in her and will help as much as I can within the parameters of CASA. That has been crucial to helping build trust over the past couple of years.”

Vanessa Diaz is Carly’s supervisor and she said, “Carly is an exceptional advocate who consistently goes above and beyond in her role. She has been a steady and compassionate support to Lydia, walking alongside her through big life changes and many ups and downs. Carly truly embodies what it means to be an advocate - she takes initiative to connect with all parties involved in the case and ensures that her youth's voice is heard and needs are met. She consistently shows up for Lydia, even in unexpected situations, which is a powerful testament to her commitment to be there no matter the circumstances. The world would truly be a better place with more Carlys - people who lead with compassion, initiative, and dedication. Carly is a reminder of the impact one person can have when they choose to care deeply and act boldly.

Carly says, “One of the things I love most about being a CASA is that my empathy has grown tenfold. Being a CASA has changed the way I look at so many things and has given me a much broader lens to view the world. While many people want things to be black and white scenarios, being a CASA has shown me that simply isn’t the case. I’ve realized how many situations are much more complex than they initially appear.”

Carly is thoughtful as she says, “When I first became a CASA, I was hoping my disability was going to resolve but it has not. I’ve been through a big mental shift just being able to say, ‘I am disabled.’ It’s been quite an emotional journey. But I’m trying to not let it stop me from living my life. I was so afraid it was going to keep me from being a successful CASA but it hasn’t. One of the things I realized early on is how compassionate my youth is. She always jumps up to open doors and accommodate any adaptations I might need. That has been really special. She’ll never know how much she’s changed me, for the better.”

If you’d like to learn more about how to support youth in the foster care system, please contact Norma Mendoza to learn more.  

*Name changed to protect privacy