Michael Wehrkamp, Paulding County Juvenile Court Judge, swore in two new volunteers to act as Court Appointed Special Advocates (CASA) in Paulding County on Thursday, April 7, 2022.
The ceremony was held at the Paulding County Courthouse. On hand were new CASA volunteers Jenifer Nicelley and Jaynne Smiley, existing CASA volunteer Jennifer Porter, and Northwest Ohio CASA Advocate Coordinator Jessica Porter-Pennington.
Wehrkamp thanked the volunteers for their service and discussed the positive impact the CASA Program has had on the children involved, the court, and the community. “I’m grateful for our CASA volunteers and Northwest Ohio CASA. Having a CASA Program in Paulding County has been transformational for us. I congratulate our new and existing CASA volunteers.”
The new volunteers are part of Northwest Ohio CASA, a non-profit program that expanded into Paulding County in September 2020 through a grant provided by Ohio CASA. Northwest Ohio CASA trains community volunteers to advocate for children who have experienced abuse or neglect. These volunteers ensure the best interest of the child is met both in the courtroom and community.
The CASA program is a national program in 49 states and serves over 270,000 children annually. Paulding County’s newest volunteers join a large group of community members involved with Northwest Ohio CASA advocating for children.
To become a volunteer, one need not have any background knowledge of the juvenile court or child welfare system. Those interested in becoming volunteers must be at least 21 years of age, complete an application, pass a background check and undergo 30 hours of pre-service training.
If you are interested in becoming a CASA volunteer, please visit www.nwocasa.com for an application or email info@nwocasa.com. Northwest Ohio CASA may be reached at 419-592-9455.
