CASA Youth Advocates landed a $50,000 grant to recruit and train more volunteer advocates for children in the child welfare system in Chester and Delaware Counties.

The grant from United Way of Greater Philadelphia and Southern New Jersey addresses a stubborn gap: 32 children across the two counties were waiting for an assigned advocate at the end of 2025, MyChesCo first reported. The money will fund volunteer recruitment, training, supervision and the case-management systems that connect children with services.

CASA, or Court Appointed Special Advocates, pairs trained volunteers one-on-one with children navigating court, foster care, education and healthcare systems. Judges appoint each volunteer. The advocates then coordinate with caseworkers, educators, healthcare providers, caregivers and community organizations to secure placements, mental health treatment, school accommodations and public benefits on each child's behalf.

The organization served 322 children across 217 cases in 2025, but 32 children were still waiting for an advocate at year's end.

"Every child in the foster and child welfare systems deserves someone who will keep showing up, listen closely and make sure their needs do not get lost between systems," Executive Director Leigh Anne McKelvey said in a statement announcing the grant.

McKelvey, who has led the organization since 2018, said the funding would strengthen CASA's ability to bring on and support new advocates.

Beyond courtroom advocacy, CASA volunteers served as Educational Decision Makers for 164 children in 2025, handling school placements, special education services and continuity in education. The organization reported that 98% of the children under 18 it served in 2025 achieved a permanent outcome, a measure CASA did not define publicly.

Founded in 1992, CASA originally served Delaware County and expanded into Chester County in 2015. No independent statement from United Way confirming the grant was publicly available as of Saturday, Sept. 26.

Residents interested in volunteering can find information at delcocasa.org.

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