Community For Accredited Online Schools has compiled four guides to help find financial aid resources. Their goal with these guides is to inform students of their options and how to make college affordable. Check the following below:
Accredited Online Schools Financial Aid Guide
Accredited Online Schools Guide to Affordable Colleges
Accredited Online Colleges That Offer Laptops
Community for Accredited Online Schools is a comprehensive accreditation resource that provides prospective students and families with the tools needed to make well-informed decisions about their education.
For an abused or neglected foster child, a Court Appointed Special Advocate – CASA volunteer, is someone who listens, observes, and reports. Someone who speaks up for the child by reaching out to the professionals involved. A CASA is someone whose sole mission is to clear a path for the child as they travel through the complexities of an overburdened child welfare system.
Help us reach every foster child in need of a voice!
For 20 years, CASA of Sonoma County has recruited, trained, and supervised CASAs who have advocated for the rights and well-being of Sonoma County’s foster children in the courtroom, in school, and in the community. CASA is a non-profit organization committed to serving abuse, neglected and abandoned children who come before the Juvenile Court for protection. CASA is a unique, one of a kind program in Sonoma County. We are a citizen-driven organization which is legally recognized by the Sonoma County Juvenile Court.
As you consider investing in your community on the biggest philanthropic day of the year, keep our Sonoma County foster children at heart.
California College Pathways (CCP) has launched a brand new college planning website specifically for foster youth. The website is designed to be youth-friendly and contains information about college planning, matriculation, financial aid, housing and more. The student website also hosts a searchable database of foster youth support programs at colleges and universities across the state.
An all new version of the CCP Foster Youth Educational Planning Guide has been published with updated grade-by-grade planning checklists, resource lists and general information to help youth from the 6th grade on to start taking the steps necessary to set themselves up for success.
This is information on a new site http://www.collegeaffordabilityguide.org/ that helps California students save money on their education.
Their methodology http://www.collegeaffordabilityguide.org/methodology/ is based on the idea that paying income-appropriate tuition, completing one’s studies, and being able to pay back one’s loans are the key elements of a worthwhile college experience.
The California page, which also covers loans and scholarships, and advice on how to save money while going to college in California, can be found at http://www.collegeaffordabilityguide.org/schools/california/. They also cover California colleges’ online offerings at http://www.collegeaffordabilityguide.org/schools/california/online-colleges-in-california/.
Summer & Back to School 2016 CASA Feedback Newsletter
CASA Feedback – Summer 2016
Spring 2014 CASA Feedback Newsletter – Special Edition Transitional Age Youth
CASA Feedback Special Edition – Transitional Age Youth
Winter 2013/2014 CASA Newsletter – Holiday Fun & Resources for the Season
Holiday Fun & Resources for the Season!
Spring 2013 CASA Feedback Newsletter
Newsletter PDF
Fall 2011 CASA Feedback Newsletter
Newsletter PDF
Summer 2009: Educational Advocacy
Newsletter PDF
Educational Needs Questionnaire for Foster Youth.doc**
Spring 2009: Transitioning Youth
Newsletter PDF
(“Events, Training & Opportunities” will be issued bi-monthly.)
Spring (March-April) 2013
Events, Training & Opportunities Mar/Apr 2013 PDF
Summer (May-June) 2013
Events, Training & Opportunities May/June 2013 PDF
Summer 2016 CASA Connection Newsletter
CASA Connection Summer 2016
Summer 2014 CASA Connection Newsletter
CASA Connection Summer 2014
Summer 2013 CASA Connection Newsletter
CASA Connection Summer 2013
The Center for Online Education is a website dedicated to conducting data driven research about higher education in the United States.
With the completion of another school year, there is still a large number of students that are undecided about furthering their education. especially foster youth who find navigating the on line educational system hard. For these students, the biggest roadblock is knowing what field of study or career path to pursue and how to pay for a college education. This is a comprehensive guide where students can research colleges and universities in California (or any other state), or learn about schools by degree/major.
For California students who are looking to stay in state, check out the following:
For others who are looking to explore out of state programs, then they can find it here:
FAFSA now available starting October!John Burton Foundation and the Alliance for Children’s Rights Answer Questions About AB 12 and our
CASA volunteers enhancing their knowledge and advocacy skills by asking the right questions.
More information about FAFSA early application date and CASA’s question here!
Help us recruit child advocates in Sonoma County.
We at CASA have always recognized that CASA volunteers are our best ambassadors in the community. Your insight and understanding of your roles and the needs of foster youth goes without saying. You are our best resources and WE NEED YOU! As our waitlist grows from 20, 30, 40, and now almost 50 youth, we as staff need to get creative and we are counting on you to get creative with us.
Currently, we have over 100 volunteers serving over 150 youths. We would like to get you involved in helping us increase our numbers.
If each one of us recruits one CASA in 2016, we could double our impact and youth served by next year!
Invite friends, family, co-workers and talk to them about CASA. If your guests would like more information about CASA they can sign up for an info session (orientation) of about 45 minutes here at the office. These take place on Tuesdays and Wednesdays at 10:00, 11:00 am or 12:00 pm. They may contact the office to schedule it by calling 707-565-6375 or emailing info@sonomacasa.org.
We are always looking for testimonials and compelling stories to share with potential CASAs on Great Nonprofits. It is a review site like Zagat or TripAdvisor and it provides an opportunity for a person who had direct experience with a charitable organization, to share that experience so that other people can discover that group as well.
Share your volunteer experience with members of your professional circle by talking to your communities or volunteer groups about your work as a CASA. Better yet, speak with Millie if you would like her or a board member to join you. Does your company have a nonprofit program? Many companies partner with nonprofits to contribute funds and encourage employees to volunteer.
We are constantly creating new PR materials to share with the community the good CASA does and invite new members to become child advocates. You may get our PR materials at the CASA office during our business hours 9:00 am- 4:30 pm or ask us to mail them to you. Also, you may download the following:
Leave our flyers at your doctor’s or dentist’s office, schools or other community businesses and organizations. Put up our CASA Volunteer Opportunity and Speak Up for a Foster Child posters on community boards and such.
Make sure to follow us on our social media outlets – Facebook and Linkedin, Volunteer Match. Share our page and posts with your own social and professional network and invite others to learn more about CASA.
If you would like to record a short (15 – 20 seconds) “Join Me” vignette, you can do so yourself or come to the office and we will record it for you. Sometimes, a video can be an impactful way to share a testimonial with interested people through social media as well. Click on the photo below to watch samples of the “Join Me” vignette.
Tell one person every week about CASA and see our program grow. Those personal one-on-one connections make a BIG impact! We are hoping to fill up the room for our upcoming Summer training starting July 14th. For questions, to launch any of the above suggestions or to get PR materials please contact our office at 707-565-6375 or at info@sonomacasa.org.
Support brighter futures for foster children in Sonoma County by volunteering on behalf of the #CASAofSonomaCounty program for#SonomaMusicFestival. Sign up online at www.sonomamusicfestival.com
Support CASA of Sonoma County by volunteering at the Sonoma Music Festival.
For the 2016 National Foster Care Campaign, A Twibbon has been created in support of CASA Volunteers. If you follow this link, you will be able to connect your Facebook or Twitter account, Twiboon will add “CASA Volunteer” to your profile picture. It’s super easy and a great way to show your CASA support during national foster care month!
Child advocates show their support for National Foster Care Month
