Renee Robinson, a volunteer in the Snohomish County Office of the Court Appointed Special Advocate (CASA) program, has been chosen to receive the organization’s annual Champion for Children Award.

CASA trains and supports volunteers to give a voice to children in the court system.The goal at CASA is to bring hope to children who have been abused or neglected.

An Everett resident, Robinson has volunteered at CASA since 2019 and has immersed herself in learning about every child for whom she advocates. Those who know Robinson describe her as someone who is recognized for her caring and compassionate demeanor. Her work has made a difference in the lives of 16 children so far, ensuring that their voices and best interests are heard in court. Robinson’s influence can be seen at every level of the CASA Program – recruiting, training and child advocacy, the organization said in announcing her as Snohomish County CASA’s volunteer of the year.

“Ms. Robinson is committed to family preservation and consistently embodies the values of the CASA program through her child-focused advocacy, integrity and teamwork,” says CASA Division Manager Joelle Kelly.

Robinson has completed close to 200 hours of voluntary training, focusing specifically on the areas that most impact the children she serves. She also regularly attends outreach events in the community and initial CASA training classes to welcome new volunteers to the program and to share about her experience as a CASA volunteer.

Andy Coate, a program coordinator for CASA, said that Robinson “approaches her role as a CASA with empathy, curiosity and humility. As her program coordinator, I am continuously in awe of her ability to find strengths in every situation and willingness to go above and beyond to support the families in our community. Ms. Robinson routinely shows the tremendous impact a CASA can have in a child’s life.”

The Snohomish County CASA program has been part of the community for 44 years and is dedicated to giving a voice to every abused and neglected child in foster care. At any given time, there are over 400 children in Snohomish County who are in the foster care system. More than 200 children are waiting for a CASA volunteer to be by their side. CASA is always looking for passionate new volunteers. For details about the role of the CASA, including how to apply and upcoming training dates, visit www.snococasa.org or follow CASA on social media @SnohomishCASA.