THE JANUARY ADVOCATE OF THE MONTH IS:

MARY PARTIDA!

Dedicated, joyful, loving, and funny are just a few things that come to mind when thinking of our newest Advocate of the Month! Mary Partida joined the CASA family in February 2018 and has been a Rockstar advocate ever since! In her almost 2 years of service Mary has closed two cases and just recently accepted her newest appointment in November.

In just two months with this new case, she has already made an impression on the children she is assigned to. Her children are placed in different homes, which are both more than an hour away, in opposite directions. Distance, however, does not stop Mary from seeing her children as often as possible. She takes her commitment to CASA very seriously and ensures that she makes the effort to really create a connection with the children on her caseload – whatever it takes. In December (even among the chaos of the holiday), Mary and her CASA companion, Cena, visited one of the children in their placement three times!

Fortunately, one of Mary’s children is placed in an adoptive home where Mary has been able to apply her CFE (Collaborative Family Engagement) skills. The results have been great as it has opened up different pathways of communication between Mary and the caregiver. On the flipside, the second child is currently not in a long-term placement. Mary has been working hard to lock down potential caregivers and to find and form familial connections for this child. Mary is in communication constantly with this child and is there to ensure she does not feel alone.

Although Mary works two full-time jobs, her commitment to CASA shines above all else. She is always willing to help with fundraisers, attend committee meetings, and attend CASA events such as outings and trainings. In 2019 alone, she participated in over 20 hours of in-service and her momentum doesn’t seem to be slowing down!

Through her hard work, enthusiasm, and dedication she has exceeded our expectations of what we look for in an advocate. It is an honor to work alongside her and see the blessing she becomes for every child that she has been assigned. Mary is just another exceptional advocate whose hard work is the backbone of our organization!