Community Spotlight: How CASA Pinellas stands up to silence
Volunteer and In-Kind Donation Manager, Laura Riiska, tells us how CASA is helping survivors of domestic abuse in Pinellas County- and how SBF made a difference in their initiative.
At SBF, we believe in being dedicated to making a positive impact on our community. Through a variety of initiatives, we continuously strive to give back and support those in need. This year we did our Annual Day of Impact at CASA Pinellas. We are incredibly grateful for all the work CASA does, and want to share more about their mission, how it makes a difference in people’s lives, and how others can join in helping them create a brighter future.
What is the mission of CASA?
CASA Pinellas (Community Action Stops Abuse) is a non-profit organization that supports survivors of domestic violence in Pinellas County. Their mission is to challenge the societal acceptance of all forms of domestic violence, CASA stands up to silence through advocacy, prevention, intervention, and support services. They have a vision that they are helping create a society free from domestic violence.
How does CASA help survivors work though hurdles and adversities?
CASA staff routinely confront a daunting array of challenges when assisting survivors. The initial 45 days following a domestic violence incident for the average victim is an extremely time-consuming and painstaking process. Statistics show that fulfilling the basic needs of victims and their children requires an exhausting cycle of 20 trips to receive different services, 17 retellings of their story, and the completion of 289 pages of essential documents. This whirlwind of tasks leads to a staggering 53 hours of work missed, as they tirelessly navigate Pinellas County to engage with numerous service providers.
In response to these stats, CASA has opened Florida’s only Family Justice Center (FJC) to bring comprehensive, collaborative, trauma-informed, free services together in one place. The Family Justice Center is based on a model of public health and safety endorsed by the U.S. Department of Justice that unites various service providers in one central location. At CASA, you can find attorneys, medical personnel, law enforcement officers, childcare specialists, mental health professionals, and advocates all under one roof.
What are some aspirations for the future of CASA?
Over 60% of the survivors who use CASA’s services live in the southern part of Pinellas County, while only about 25% of the survivors live in the northern part of the county. In an effort to make their services more accessible to North County residents, CASA intends to expand its accessibility in the upcoming year.
How did SBF’s contributions impact the CASA shelter?
SBF contributed by creating a welcoming, calm, and beautiful space for survivors to recover from the trauma they have experienced. Volunteer & In-Kind Donation Manager, Laura Riiska said, “We couldn’t have asked for a better group of volunteers than the team member from SBF! They virtually “took over” the Emergency Shelter, building furniture, painting the Teen Room and two living rooms, planting Florida native plants and mulching both in front and behind the Shelter just to name a few projects!” We love closing our office for a whole day and sending our entire team into the community to make a difference. It’s amazing what 70 people can do in one day! CASA and SBF look forward to continuing their partnership in the coming years to stand up to silence and stop the violence.
How can the community get more involved to see a positive change?
Just like SBF, locals can support CASA by signing up to become a volunteer. Before taking the plunge, we invite prospective volunteers to attend one of CASA’s Open Houses to better understand what being a volunteer entails. They do this to ensure that what they offer is a good fit for each individual’s volunteer goals. Those interested can click on this link to register for an open house, see ways to donate money, and give in-kind donations.
You can stay up to date with CASA’s outreach activities and events by clicking on this news link & events. You can also follow them on Facebook & LinkedIn- @CASA Pinellas, Instagram & Twitter- @casapinellas, and on YouTube – @casacommunity actionstopsab2105.
*If you or someone you know is a survivor of domestic violence and is in need of support services call CASA’s 24-hour Emergency hotline: (727)895-4912 or the National Domestic Violence Hotline: 800-799-7233.
