CASA (Court Appointed Special Advocates) of Ottawa County is a program that recruits, screens, and trains volunteer community members to serve as the voice of abused and neglected children in court proceedings. After the volunteers are appointed by a judge, they meet weekly with the children and talk with teachers, counselors, foster parents, child care providers, and anyone else who comes into contact with the child.

From all of these sources the volunteers gather information as to what is in the child's best interest, as well as what the child would like to have happen in the following areas: where they will live, who they will live with, how often they see their birth parents. The reports are submitted to the court when the hearings take place every 91 days, and the judges use the recommendations in the report when they make their rulings.

The CASA volunteer is not only the person who makes sure that the court knows the wishes of the child, but they are usually the only consistent person in the child's life during this traumatic time.

Contact Laura Klassen at (616) 396-2301 or This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it   for more information!

To VOLUNTEER FOR CASA click here!

CASA FACEBOOK PAGE COMING SOON!