Sometimes making the world better can best be done one person at a time.
No one knows that better than Gary DeVore and Lisa Zumstein, who are court-appointed special advocates with CASA of McKean County.
For the past few months, DeVore, of Port Allegany, has been advocating for a 15-year-old boy who, because of a few unfortunate circumstances, was living in an adolescent facility. Zumstein, who lives in Bradford, has been helping a 15-year-old girl who has mental health issues and is living in a residential care facility.
Their responsibility is to speak on the teens’ behalf, to make sure they receive the services they need so eventually they can be placed in permanent homes.
DeVore and Zumstein are two of the first seven CASA volunteers who are advocating for 10 children in the county. However, many more volunteers are needed. Currently, there are 74 other children of various ages who are in placement and could benefit from having a CASA volunteer. Male volunteers are especially needed since DeVore is the only one so far, and many of the children don’t have positive male role models in their lives.
The CASA program, which formed in the county last year, connects volunteers with children who have been abused and neglected and need someone to advocate for their best interests. Since children in placement often have many human service and child welfare professionals involved in their lives, having a CASA volunteer who focuses only on them gives them much-needed consistency and advocacy.
Kristen Tim, executive director of the program, is currently recruiting a second class of volunteers who will begin training Sept. 16.
“We’re looking for people who want to make a significant and positive impact in the life of a child, a permanent connection,” Tim said.
Anyone interested in volunteering can start the process by completing an application at www.mckeancountypa.org/casa.aspx or by contacting the CASA office at 887-4020.
Wanting to make a positive impact on a young person is one of the reasons DeVore and Zumstein decided to become CASA volunteers.
“We all look around and say we’re upset with the world,” DeVore said. “Here’s our chance to save one piece of it.”
When DeVore retired after more than 40 years of helping troubled teens all over the country, he felt a little emptiness. One day, he attended a Rotary Club meeting in Port Allegany, where Tim was giving a presentation on CASA.
“I thought, ‘Wow, that’s a much-needed program.’” After completing his 30 hours of CASA training and being sworn in by the court, he talked to Tim who presented a few cases to him. One teenage boy caught his eye. And just like that, DeVore filled that emptiness.
When he met the teen, DeVore told him, “I am your CASA advocate. It’s my job to give you a voice, to make sure you have what you need.” And then, DeVore asked the teen something that few others had before: “What do you need?”
The boy told him. Then he asked DeVore, “How long are you going to stick around?”
DeVore said, “I’ll be your best advocate as long as I’m in your life.”
When DeVore was first assigned to the case, he gathered all the facts he could. He talked with and asked questions of the boy’s family, those with whom he had previously been in placement, and others involved in his care. After gathering all the information, he made recommendations to the court.
After just a few months, DeVore already has seen significant progress.
“I think my CASA report helped to convince the court that he’s a good kid,” DeVore said, and he is now living with a family member, which they hope will become his permanent home.
For Zumstein, who is a results-oriented kind of person, serving as a CASA volunteer has enabled her to work one-on-one with someone, allowing her to see tangible results.
“It’s easier to see you’re making a difference when you’re working one-on-one with a child,” she said. “To me that’s impactful.”
Zumstein admits to being a little nervous when she first met the girl, but they quickly discovered a mutual interest. They both love to read and were able to connect through books.
Zumstein said the teen has “reading abilities she’s rarely seen; they’re off the charts.” So, when they get together, they talk about books and use fictional characters to help explain themselves. “That’s how she and I connected.”
They also talk on the phone weekly and have visited a few times at the facility where she currently lives, which is in another county.
The girl has made progress, which Zumstein finds encouraging. “I enjoy being with her. I enjoy talking with her. She talks more with me than she did.”
Both DeVore and Zumstein have found the CASA program gratifying and recommend it to potential volunteers.
“Oh yeah, absolutely,” Zumstein said. “I’m finding a lot of reward in it.”
Typically, a CASA volunteer’s time commitment is 10 to 15 hours per month, though DeVore and Zumstein said it may take a bit more time at the beginning, during the fact-gathering stage. A case usually takes about 18 to 24 months to conclude, when a child finds a permanent placement.
For DeVore’s teen, it appears as if he may have found a permanent home, though it’s a little too soon to tell. If that situation works out, will he advocate for another child? DeVore doesn’t even need to think about it.
“I wouldn’t hesitate. There are still kids out there who need an advocate. As long as I feel I can make a kid’s life better, I’ll continue.”
Tim says she’s inspired by the volunteers. “Their passion and their dedication inspire me to help advance and build this organization.”
