CASA fundraiser rallies support for foster children in Val Verde County

A morning round at San Felipe Springs Golf Course turned into a direct boost for Val Verde County’s foster children, with golfers, local businesses, sponsors and supporters gathering in Del Rio for CASA of Val Verde County’s “Golfing Fore a Cause” fundraiser. The event paired friendly competition with breakfast tacos, fellowship and donations, but the real purpose was far more urgent: keeping trained advocates in place for children who depend on the local court system to protect their best interests.

CASA, or Court Appointed Special Advocates, relies on volunteers who work with courts and child welfare agencies to track a child’s needs, report concerns and help make sure the child is not lost in the shuffle of a crowded system. M.J. Ybarra, vice chair of CASA of Val Verde County, said that fundraising is essential because a large share of the organization’s budget comes from events and grants. Ybarra said the local program is currently serving 100 percent of foster children in Val Verde County, a milestone that gives the county rare coverage in a place where access to services can be strained by distance alone.

That local need is easy to see in a county that covers 3,144.7 square miles and had an estimated population of 47,741 in 2024. In a region that large, a child without a volunteer advocate can be harder to keep connected to school, family, services and the court process. Texas child welfare guidance and the Texas Children’s Commission both emphasize the importance of strengthening courts for children, youth and families, and state law requires court-appointed legal representation in cases involving children in DFPS temporary managing conservatorship and indigent parents. CASA’s role is different but closely tied to that system: it helps ensure a child’s voice stays present when decisions are being made.

Anna Moreno, the organization’s executive director, has been leading CASA’s work from its office in the heart of Del Rio, and Ybarra described the board as hands-on leaders who go beyond monthly meetings to help with fundraising, outreach and growth. The organization is already looking beyond Val Verde County, with hopes of expanding services into Maverick County and Kinney County. That expansion would extend the same advocacy model to more children in the region, where foster placements can stretch far from home.

The fundraiser’s success also came with a broader warning. Texas foster-care reporting has shown that in 2025, one in three foster children was sent to a different region, sometimes hundreds of miles away. For Val Verde County, keeping advocates local is one way to reduce that isolation. Ybarra thanked the golfers and sponsors who showed up, and CASA is already considering more fundraisers later in the year, including a possible loteria night and a night golf tournament.