My background is very diverse. I worked in many different jobs but I started having kids I decided to stay home. So my life became raising and volunteering in the school system.
Doing this I saw kids with troubled childhoods. When I became an empty nester I really wanted to volunteer in a way that I could directly see the impact of my work. So a friend suggested I look into CASA. When I went through the training I realized I wanted to work with kids in PMC. The child in my first case aged out of foster care but we still keep in touch. I am so glad that the child trusts me enough to continue our relationship. I am currently working on my second case. In the year and a half that I have been with this case I have seen a change in behavior and attitude.
It has been so rewarding to see the kids realize that they have someone who really cares and is really on their side. I facetime with my child on a weekly basis. One of the things we have done is cooking session via facetime. I showed my child how to make my homemade macaroni and cheese.
Our next cooking session my child will show me how to make his sweet rice. I always end our sessions making sure the child knows how proud I am of them. I really want these kids to feel good about themselves. I have talked to some of my friends about becoming a CASA. What I have told them is that it is the most rewarding thing I have ever done.
Maryann’s Child Advocacy Specialist, Kara Franklin, said, “Maryann has been a CASA volunteer for three years, and she is currently working her second case involving a teenager. The child on Maryann’s previous case (who is now 19) still maintains contact with her and refers to Maryann as her “God-mommy.” Maryann has established a wonderful connection with this child since first meeting him in January 2019, and he particularly loves talking to Maryann about food and football. Since the onset of COVID-19, Maryann never misses her weekly FaceTime call with him, and sometimes they talk for nearly an hour. Not only does Maryann demonstrate her dedication to advocating for children in and out of court, she truly has a gift for developing meaningful relationships with all of her kids and their caregivers, both past and present. Maryann is a joy to work with, and she is such a great asset to our agency.”