Page 17 - Harnett Life Fall 2021

Be a voice for the children
in our community

1-800-982-4041
www.volunteerforgal.org

including District 11, to provide a volunteer advocate for every tion gatherers,” DeLong said. “They can reach out and get the
child and family group in need. The pandemic has only ampli- information they need. Michelle had a case not too long ago
fied the demands. where we had a quandary with the facts on the paper versus
what she saw in person. Her observations and input brought
Why volunteers? According to DeLong, the program works about the parent and child reunification. She and other GAL
because the volunteers “are there because they want to be, not volunteers can bring that personal perspective and say what the
have to be.” Also, as reported on the organization’s website, reality and the real situation is.”
https://volunteerforgal.org/, there’s an evolving history of the
effectiveness of this platform that “co-appoints volunteers and Another time, DeLong shared, Kase did the legwork to find a
attorneys to speak for abused and neglected children in court family member who accepted the placement of kids in a par-
as providing strong, competent advocacy to the children who ticular case.
need it.”
“I am given a court order when given a case, and part of my job
Such is true for the District 11 Melannie Taylor Gunter Guard- is investigating,” Kase explained. “I got hold of as many fam-
ian ad Litem of the Year for 2021, Michelle Kase, who has four ily members as I could, and DSS workers made the placement
children herself and shared she has “had a heart for kids ever with the family member happen.”
since she was a child” herself. Kase has been a volunteer for
four years and says her volunteer honor has been the “highlight Elaborating, Kase said, “I will talk to doctors, schools, police
of her life,” one for which she is “greatly humbled.” Coming officers, family members, therapists, churches, the health de-
from a dysfunctional home, Kase said her mother’s past situa- partment and other agencies — whatever it takes.”
tion, her love for children and her nurturing spirit — she has a
background in nursing — all combine to make the Guardian ad After a case has ended, GAL volunteers can no longer contact
Litem program a great fit for her. the children or families with whom they have worked. “This is
part of what makes the work even more meaningful,” DeLong
Kase has worked with 16 youth during her time with the Dis- emphasized, “because a delicate balance must be struck. The
trict 11 GAL program. She gets to know them well, she said, as volunteers cannot become so involved in a case that the child
cases often last more than a year. While the GAL goal is family suffers another loss when the case closes. I am awed by the
reunification, the reality is that it is not always possible. Often, men and women who volunteer that take this on.”
in getting to know her appointed kids, her interactions — and
those of GAL advocates like her — make a real difference. What exactly Guardian do ad Litem volunteers do? While ac-
tions vary, they are primarily appointed to:
“Our volunteers’ engagement is through the role of informa-
Harnett Life ~ Fall 2021 Page 17