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Heart of Missouri CASA

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Columbia, MO
Heart of Missouri CASA

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Heart of Missouri CASA speaks up for children in the family courts who’ve been abused or neglected.

Heart of Missouri CASA (Court Appointed Special Advocates) believes every child who has been abused or neglected deserves to have a dedicated advocate speaking up for their best interest in court, at school and in our community. To accomplish this, CASA educates and empowers community volunteers who ensure each child’s needs remain a priority in an overburdened child welfare system. When the state steps in to protect a child’s safety because the people responsible for protecting them have not, a judge appoints a trained volunteer advocate to make independent and informed recommendations and help the judge decide what is best for the child. Volunteer advocates come from every walk of life, yet share a commitment to improving children’s lives, a willingness to learn, and an open mind towards life experiences different from their own. Volunteers complete an interview, a background check, and a 30-hour intensive training program including courtroom observation and are then sworn into their roles by a judge and assigned to a single child or a sibling group. CASA is not your typical volunteer opportunity… but we’re not looking for typical volunteers.

11/06/2026

Happy 1-year anniversary, Catherine! 🎉

A year ago, Catherine joined HOM CASA as one of our Boone County Advocate Supervisors, and her position came with a special focus on outreach to support our volunteer recruitment while her caseload grew. She has gone above and beyond in both parts of her role.

As an Advocate Supervisor, Catherine pours her heart into her cases and gives her CASA volunteers steady, caring guidance. In her outreach role, she is out in the community, talking with people about CASA and inviting them to learn how they can become advocates for children in foster care. Her energy and reliability have been a gift to our recruitment efforts.

Catherine’s empathy, her follow-through on our committees, and her knack for creating fun and camaraderie make our whole team stronger. We’re so lucky to work alongside her.

Thank you, Catherine, for all you give to our volunteers, our team, and the children we serve. Here’s to year two! 💛

11/05/2026

One voice in the room can make all the difference.

In a courtroom filled with professionals, a CASA volunteer is there for one reason: to make sure the child's needs, experiences, and best interests are heard.

Curious about what it means to be that voice? Join us for a 30-minute virtual information session to learn what being a CASA is all about.

Explore an upcoming session and sign up below!

🗓️November 10th @ 12:00 pm - 12:30 pm
Register: https://www.homcasa.org/event/heart-of-missouri-casa-info-session-12/

🗓️November 19th @ 5:30 pm - 6:00 pm
Register: https://www.homcasa.org/event/heart-of-missouri-casa-info-session-13/

11/03/2026

Hi, I'm Mike. I am a CASA volunteer.

I am a husband, banker, and small business owner. I already had a full schedule, but when I learned how many hundreds of children in our Boone Country community were unable to safely live at home, I knew I wanted to help.

I initially wondered how CASA would fit into my busy life. What I didn't expect was how much it would fulfill parts of my life.

Being a CASA volunteer has become something I look forward to. It has given me a deeper sense of purpose, empathy, and perspective that extends into every other area of my life.

Mike's experience is a reminder that volunteering doesn't just make a difference in a child's life. It can change yours, too.

You don't have to have an empty calendar to make a difference. You just have to be willing to show up.

Monday Evenings:
11/30/2026: Session 1: 5:30-8:30pm
12/7/2026: Session 2: 5:30-8:30pm
12/14/2026: Session 3: 5:30-8:30pm
12/21/2026: Session 4: 5:30-8:30pm
12/28/2026: NO TRAINING
1/4/2027: Session 5: 5:30-8:30pm
1/11/2027: Session 6: 5:30-7:00pm
Training is made up of 16.5 hours in-person and 15 hours online.

https://www.homcasa.org/volunteer/become-a-casa/

10/30/2026

Ten years ago today, Kelly Hill walked through our doors and began leading Heart of Missouri CASA. The board didn’t fully realize it, but they had just made the best hire in the history of the organization.

When she started, CASA had 3 staff members and 82 volunteers serving 150 children. Today, we’re a staff of 14, with 180 volunteers serving nearly 400 children.

Those of us who work with Kelly know she has never been content with “okay.” If this work truly matters, how could we be okay with hundreds of kids going without an advocate? Her answer has always been the same: we can’t.

Kelly could have built a successful career just about anywhere, but she has chosen to spend it here, making sure kids in Boone and Callaway counties have someone in their corner when they need it most.

She leads with integrity and vision, keeps all of us focused on what matters most, and yes, she has a spreadsheet for everything (and we love her for it). Now HOM CASA is about to open the doors to a fully funded new headquarters, with a plan to provide a CASA for every child who needs one by 2030.

Kelly, thank you for believing that all kids deserve hope and for their voice to be heard for ten years. Thank you for leading our team so well. We are incredibly lucky to have you, and we can’t wait to see what is next. Happy anniversary!

Leave Kelly a note in the comments and help us celebrate her today!

10/28/2026

We're hiring a Community Outreach Coordinator!

Every child in foster care deserves to have an advocate by their side, and we're working toward a future where every child who needs a CASA has one. We're looking for a strategic, relationship-driven person to lead outreach and volunteer recruitment across Boone and Callaway Counties.

If you love connecting people, building community partnerships, sharing stories that matter, and turning big goals into real impact for children, this role is for you. You'll help grow awareness of CASA, recruit and engage volunteers, and bring our community together around a mission that matters.

Columbia, MO | Full-time | $53,000–$55,000 + benefits

Apply on Indeed or email your resume and cover letter to [email protected]. Screening begins the week of November 9.

Apply Here: https://www.indeed.com/job/community-outreach-coordinator-048313ea373c9723

10/27/2026

Hi, I'm Connie. I am a CASA volunteer.

I enjoy gardening, traveling, spending time with my family, and following Mizzou athletics and the Kansas City Chiefs.

After years as an educator, I knew how important it was to advocate for children. As a CASA volunteer, I found a way to take that advocacy beyond the classroom and into the courtroom, ensuring children's needs are heard, and their best interests remain at the center of important decisions.

For me, being a CASA gives me the opportunity to communicate directly with the people involved in a child's case and bring the child's voice to the judge.

For anyone who is curious, all you need is the willingness to learn, listen, and show up for a child. If you're ready to use your life experience to make a difference for a child, we'd love to help you get started.

Monday Evenings:
11/30/2026: Session 1: 5:30-8:30pm
12/7/2026: Session 2: 5:30-8:30pm
12/14/2026: Session 3: 5:30-8:30pm
12/21/2026: Session 4: 5:30-8:30pm
12/28/2026: NO TRAINING
1/4/2027: Session 5: 5:30-8:30pm
1/11/2027: Session 6: 5:30-7:00pm
Training is made up of 16.5 hours in-person and 15 hours online.

https://www.homcasa.org/volunteer/become-a-casa/

10/23/2026

Behind every case closure is a story. Hours spent building trust, court dates, family support team meetings, visits, and the steady commitment to making sure a child's best interests remain at the center of every decision.

For one CASA volunteer, that meant 17 months and 124 hours advocating for an infant girl whose journey ended in adoption. For two advocates working together, it meant walking alongside six siblings through a complicated court process, supporting their journey from three separate placements to one home, and advocating for a resolution that served their best interests.

Another advocate spent more than a year working on a case that ended in adoption, helping a young child reach a permanent, loving home.

Every case looks different. But the commitment remains the same: to keep showing up, keep asking questions, and keep advocating for what each child needs.

To the CASA volunteers who invested their time, care, and heart in these eight children's journeys, THANK YOU!! Your advocacy matters, and these milestones are worth celebrating.

10/22/2026

Hi, I'm Mark. I am a CASA volunteer.

After a fulfilling career as a sommelier, retirement left me looking for a new purpose. I wanted to give back, and CASA gave me the opportunity to make a meaningful difference in the lives of children.

Though I was initially nervous about the commitment, I took the leap and have now completed two cases in five years. Being a CASA volunteer has been some of the most gratifying work I’ve ever done. The struggles children face in foster care are real, and having a consistent person in their corner can help ease some of the uncertainty they experience.

Today, I’m also a small business owner who enjoys spending time with my grandchildren, riding my bicycle, and taking my dog, Milo, on outdoor adventures. CASA has given me a way to combine this new chapter of life with something I’ve always wanted to do: help others.

You don’t have to have all the answers to make a difference. Sometimes, you just have to take the first step.
Our next CASA volunteer training begins November 30. Join us and discover how you can change a child’s story.

Monday Evenings:
11/30/2026: Session 1: 5:30-8:30pm
12/7/2026: Session 2: 5:30-8:30pm
12/14/2026: Session 3: 5:30-8:30pm
12/21/2026: Session 4: 5:30-8:30pm
12/28/2026: NO TRAINING
1/4/2027: Session 5: 5:30-8:30pm
1/11/2027: Session 6: 5:30-7:00pm
Training is made up of 16.5 hours in-person and 15 hours online.

https://www.homcasa.org/volunteer/become-a-casa/

10/21/2026

A child in foster care has many adults involved in their case. But only one volunteer is there solely to advocate for their best interests.

That's a CASA volunteer. Could that be you? Learn more at our upcoming 30-minute information session.

📅 October 28
🕠 5:30 - 6:00 p.m.

https://www.homcasa.org/event/heart-of-missouri-casa-info-session-11/

10/20/2026

Due to a recurring sewer issue, the Heart of Missouri CASA office will be temporarily closed through tomorrow, October 21. We plan to reopen Thursday, October 22. Our team is still online and working from home. Reach out if you need us!

If there’s one thing this situation has taught us, it’s that we are REALLY looking forward to our new building. Better days (and hopefully much better plumbing) are ahead!

Thanks for your patience while we deal with this less-than-glamorous situation.

Address

105 East Ash Street, Ste 102
Columbia, MO
65203

Opening Hours

Monday	9am - 5pm
Tuesday	9am - 5pm
Wednesday	9am - 5pm
Thursday	9am - 5pm
Friday	9am - 5pm

Telephone

+15734424670

Website

https://www.homcasa.org/, https://donate.homcasa.org/campaign/736860/donate

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