What a year

2020 has been a storm of troubles from beginning to end. Yet even as it continues to wreak havoc, it reminds us of how generous and thoughtful our community is.
     In March, as Piedmont CASA struggled to shift staff, Volunteers, kids and their families into the virtual world, individuals and organizations reached out to help. The Lewis D. Schaeneman Foundation, who had already awarded us an FY20 grant, called to see if there was something else they could do.
     When we were forced to cancel our biggest fundraising event of the year at the last minute, many of the supporters for Jimmy Miller's Bracket Blast turned their sponsorships into donations. 
     When we couldn't find masks, folks in our community made them for us and organizations donated them -- enough to supply our Volunteers, their CASA children, and their families. 
     Albemarle County and the Charlottesville Area Community Foundation generated much-needed crisis grant opportunities for nonprofits, as did the Commonwealth of Virginia. 
     CASA Volunteers and Bridges Coaches have been working overtime to help ensure that our kids and families have what they need, not just to survive this emotional and economic tsunami, but also to overcome it. There have been some very bad days, but there have also been brilliant successes. Such as getting a homeless teen off the streets and seeing her thrive because despair has been replaced with safety and possibilities. Or creating such magical FaceTime moments for a shy and worried toddler that she now eagerly awaits the next visit of her virtual CASA.
     Those are a few of the flashes of light that have been guiding us through a very dark year. Through it all, you have persistently shown us that clearer skies can and will return. So to all of Piedmont CASA's supporters, Volunteers, board, staff, and friends - you have our deepest gratitude. Your 2020 vision is making a world of difference, not just for today, but for the future of our kids and our community.

Rachel S. Lloyd Miller
Chair, Piedmont CASA Board of Directors