Hi!

My name is Jimmy McCulloch and I have been with CASA since 2021. Since then I have worked on a handful of cases and I have joined the Peer Coordinator program.

I joined CASA because I wanted to give back to kids who may be going through some of the things I dealt with as a child.

Since becoming a CASA Volunteer my biggest takeaway is to show up. These kids are going through a rough time and are probably feeling abandoned by everyone in their lives. Be their rock. However, don’t coddle them. The more they are treated as fragile, broken kids, the less motivation they have to build the confidence to face their futures. Take care of them, but understand they are more resilient than most adults think.

This journey hasn’t always been easy, and I have cried plenty of times because of these cases. However, knowing I did my best for these kids and understanding I can’t change the world in a day helps me keep pushing forward. The moments that keep me going are when a kiddo asks to talk to me when they’re going through their most difficult times. That is when I know I’ve started to make an impact.

Anyone interested in becoming a CASA Volunteer should know that objectivity and empathy are not mutually exclusive. Your job is to advocate for the best interests of these kids. Sometimes you and the rest of the team – and the child – may have different ideas for what that looks like. Be a team player, but stay firm in your commitment to what’s best for the child.

But most importantly? Care enough to understand, be courageous enough to make hard decisions.