Santa Barbara County CASA delivers personalized gifts to over 700 local youths

SANTA BARBARA COUNTY, Calif. – Despite this year's 21% increase in the number of kids involved in the Court Appointed Special Advocates (CASA) "Christmas Wishes" gift drive, every single child involved received a personalized gift thanks to a broad group of local organizations and volunteers.

The CASA gift drive has been a continuous project for 15 years helping youth in the court's care due to abuse, neglect or abandonment.

"When ‘Christmas Wishes’ started, we collected close to 100 gifts. Today, we are happy to announce that all 723 children on our list had their Christmas Wish filled this year, and that would not happen without the partnerships we have built and the donors who join us to do this every year," said Kim Colby Davis, CASA of Santa Barbara County Executive Director.

This years drive expanded to include young people identified by Fighting Back Santa Maria Valley who are in foster care in this county but come from another county as well as kids who are homeless or in high need of support.

Executive Director of Fighting Back Santa Maria Valley, Edwin Weaver said, “During this season it is so important to remember our most vulnerable children. CASA was able to make so many children experience Christmas Joy."

Over 250 CASA volunteers and county social workers collected the "wishes" of the more than 700 young people across a broad range of ages.

Davis explained, "Our annual gift drive is a bit different than most toy drives because we serve children from newborn to age 20. The variety of ages means that their wishes and needs are widely different, and a toy drive would not meet the needs of our tiniest and our older youth."

Volunteers and supporters are sought year-round for the CASA program and the more than 500 children they help on average every year in Santa Barbara County alone.

For more information, follow this link to CASA of Santa Barbara County's website.