At Thursday’s Grayson County Fiscal Court meeting, a representative of CASA of the Heartland requested $3,000 to recruit new volunteers in Grayson County.
CASA (an acronym for Court Appointed Special Advocates) of the Heartland, based in Elizabethtown, recruits, trains and supports community volunteers who advocate in court on behalf of abused, neglected and dependent children. The goal of the organization is to place children in permanent, loving homes, and help children navigate the complexities of the child welfare and family court systems.
In Grayson County, over two dozen children are currently awaiting CASA of the Heartland assistance.
“There are 27 children on a waiting list in Grayson County” due to a lack of volunteers in Grayson County, Michelle Kail, Executive Director of CASA of the Heartland, told Fiscal Court.
Last year, CASA of the Heartland advocated for 63 children in Grayson County.
Kail requested $3,000 from Fiscal Court to assist in recruiting and training new volunteers in Grayson County. Following her presentation, Grayson County Jailer Jason Woosley, unprompted, spoke up and said that the money can come “out of the jail fund.”
Magistrates approved the Grayson County Detention Center donating $3,000 to the organization.
CASA of the Heartland was founded in Hardin County in 2007 to recruit, train and support community volunteers who advocate for abused, neglected and dependent children under Family Court jurisdiction. The program expanded to LaRue County in 2023, to Grayson, Meade and Breckinridge counties in 2024 and to Hart County in 2026.
To get involved with CASA of the Heartland, or to learn more about their mission, visit casaheartland.org or call 270-982-2274.
By Ken Howlett, News Director
Contact Ken at ken@k105.com
