MILAM COUNTY, Texas (KRHD) — About 150 children are involved in foster care on any given day in Milam County, and a local organization is working to ensure each one has a voice.
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Court Appointed Special Advocates (CASA) of Milam County will host its second annual fundraiser Saturday night to support their efforts to advocate for abused and neglected children navigating the child protective services system.
"We have around 5,300 children in our county. Over 1,200 of them have been through the CPS system — that's a rather large number," said Rachel Owens, executive director for CASA of Milam County.
"They are our most vulnerable population," Owens continued.
CASA of Milam County began working with Child Protective Services in February 2024, and the organization relies on volunteers.
"We’ve got a great board and more advocates and that's just what we need because like we don't exist without the advocates...when kiddos are removed by CPS because their home is no longer safe, then the judge appoints one of our volunteers, which is an advocate, to be with that child, to work on that case, to give them a voice," Owens said.
The fundraiser aims to help the organization grow its staff and support more child advocates as the county's population increases.
"We've got to grow to keep up with the kiddos and the need that we have there. Unfortunately, it's not going to decrease," Owens said.
CASA advocates for children stuck in the foster care system, a reality for a county that is growing.
"That's one of the sad side effects of growth is the more people you have come into a county, the more opportunities for this type of need occur," said Milam County Judge Bill Whitmire. "And so we need more and more folks to fill in those positions as court appointed special advocates."
Beyond fundraising, the event serves as an outreach campaign as community support is crucial.
"It's mainly just to build the awareness and let them know that we're here and the need because a lot of people have no idea how many of our kiddos have been through the CPS system and the abuse and neglect that's occurring in our own county...I really can't think of a better entity or anything to donate to than an abused or neglected child," Owens said.
The Taste of Milam fundraiser will feature food samples from local businesses, along with auctions, raffles and entertainment.
For more information about the event, including tickets, click here.
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