Bethany has been a part of the CASA of CGS family since 2015 and has served on two cases.
After her first case closed, she immediately jumped on to serve another, which she remained on for nearly four years until it recently closed. This case was difficult as she had one child whose best interest was adoption and his sibling, reunification. While she supported best interest for the children, she also fiercely advocated for the children to maintain visitation throughout the life of the case and urged for it to be continued going forward.
Four years is a long time for children, especially for children who are in foster care. What makes us love Bethany so much is her dedication to the children to make sure they had at least one consistent person in their lives during this time. One of the boys was doing well in his adoptive placement, but, the other struggled a lot with the absence of his brother and wanted to be reunified with his father.
Her peer coordinator, Carl, says, “Bethany was ever- present in this case. She was persistent throughout the many months that this case lasted. She never gave up. Bethany was always available for this father and son. She helped guide the father as he pursued reunification with his son. Ms. Pineda ensured that this boy’s educational needs were met as he transitioned from the resource home to his placement back with his dad. This was truly a case where having a CASA like Bethany has made the difference in the life of a child (and a Dad).“
Bethany also nominated the CASA of CGS program to be the recipient of grants provided by her work. Her support for the program she volunteers for means the world to us and shows that she is a true example of someone with a heart of gold, seeking a better community for children and their village.
Thank you for your service, Bethany! We are so happy to have you on our team!