CASA El Dorado holds first free virtual Gala. - LIVE performance with David Garibaldi

Child Advocates of El Dorado is holding its first one-hour virtual Gala on November 7 starting at 6:00 p.m.

The event is free to attend, but it is the local Court Appointed Special Advocates (CASA) annual fundraiser, hosted this year by Eileen Javora Boeger. There will be live entertainment by world-renown performance painter David Garibaldi.

CASA El Dorado benefits the community by serving the abused, neglected and at-risk children in our county’s foster care system. This is accomplished by recruiting, training, and supervising volunteers from the community.

They are assigned to children on a one-on-one basis and meet with the child weekly to establish a continuing trust based relationship. They then prepare monthly written reports and, with the guidance of our staff, advocate in the
child’s best interests. The abuse and neglect that result in a child being removed from her parents is traumatic, as is the removal and placement in a shelter or foster home. This trauma results in higher levels of substance abuse,
mental and physical illness, and are more susceptible to human trafficking than other children. The presence of a dependable non-judgmental adult in their lives helps mitigate these issues. The Advocate not only meets with the
child, but also meets with teachers, counselors, and therapists to establish educational goals, and encourages the child to strive towards these goals. They also work with the foster and biological families so that family
reunification may occur.

Most importantly, 98 percent of the children served do not re-experience abuse and neglect.

The CASA Gala is a unique one-hour evening of celebration from the comfort of your own home to benefit foster children of El Dorado County

The event will also include live broadcasting of silent and live auctions, entertainment from America’s Got Talent S7 finalist, David Garibaldi, CASA Youth Speaker and CASA of the Year Award.

Of the many ways the pandemic is making us rethink our humanity, none is more important or urgent than the overall protection of our children. As you are aware, many vulnerable children are largely out of sight, many of them cooped up in crowded apartments, often cared for by parents reeling from job loss and all other stresses brought on by the pandemic with no discernible end. In a world of only the unknown and only knowing abuse, neglect, and/or hunger, all children deserve to know one thing; that their CASA is there for them during all of this.
All funds raised from CASA Gala helps us provide a CASA in a child’s life to help receive the support and services they deserve.

For more information, please visit Child Advocates of El Dorado website:
www.casaeldorado.org/casa-gala-2020-2