Celebrating 30 Years of Transformative Partnership

The widest influence for good holds a special meaning for Thetas everywhere—one that calls us to live lives of purpose and impact. The three of us have the pleasure of working at the National Court Appointed Special Advocate/Guardian Ad Litem (CASA/GAL) Association for Children, an organization we each first came to know through Kappa Alpha Theta as college freshman on our respective campuses. Kappa Alpha Theta’s partnership with National CASA/GAL has forever transformed the trajectories of our own lives, and we are not alone. Thetas are interwoven in the story of the CASA/GAL movement in so many special ways.

To recognize all the ways Thetas have made their mark on National CASA/GAL and its nationwide network of programs and volunteers, we are proud to present 30 stories of partnership on behalf of the National CASA/GAL Association.

It’s awe-inspiring to think that Theta introduces thousands of women to the CASA/GAL mission every year. We tell our families about the work of CASA/GAL programs over the Thanksgiving table; we mention it to a coworker looking for a volunteer opportunity; we choose a career in social work or law or education.

The beauty of this partnership is that it is fully immersive and mutually rewarding: Thetas are CASA and GAL volunteers, program staff members, board members of state and local CASA programs, attorneys serving children who have experienced abuse or neglect, judges presiding over dependency court cases, fundraisers, and champions for the CASA/GAL mission.

As you can imagine, there were so many stories to tell that it was hard to narrow down. Some of the stories you may already know, like a transformative $1 million gift in 2016 that supports National CASA/GAL’s critical performance measurement work.

But we’re even more excited about the stories you don’t know, like:

• A Theta who showed up to her local program in her letters as an intern who now provides leadership over all CASA and GAL programs in Pennsylvania;
• A Theta who donated her house to her local CASA program in Colorado—and the chapter members who pitched in to repair and paint it in preparation for its new purpose; or
• A Theta who gave pro bono legal support to CASA/GAL programs, served as her local program’s board chairman and later became a facility director in retirement.

These heartwarming stories represent millions of women who have developed an affinity for the CASA/GAL mission and who believe that every child deserves a safe, permanent home and the opportunity to thrive under any circumstance. From all of us at National CASA/GAL, thank you to Thetas everywhere for all you do to support our work and help children and families thrive.

Michelle Geiger, Delta Kappa/LSU, director of executive communications & advancement, and Sarah McGregor, Oregon State/Beta Epsilon, senior leadership associate, also contributed to this blog.