Child advocacy organization CASA launches social media challenge to help Pikes Peak area kids

April is Child Abuse Prevention Month, and non-profit organization CASA of the Pikes Peak Region is calling on the community to use this time to help make a difference for local kids.

"As stay-at-home orders, school closures, and social distancing remain in place with the goal of keeping everyone safe during COVID-19, CASA knows that children who are at risk for abuse and neglect are even more vulnerable now than they were a month ago. For this reason, CASA expects to see a rise in the number of Court Appointed Special Advocate (CASA) volunteers that will be needed for children in Colorado’s Fourth Judicial District," the non-profit said.

Help for these children is critical, but the cost to provide a Court Appointed Special Advocate (CASA) volunteer to an abused or neglected child isn't inexpensive. It costs CASA $1,200 in order to provide a volunteer for one child. There are currently 830 children in the Pikes Peak region needing one of these volunteers right now.

That's where CASA's new social media campaign #Give5Challenge5 comes in.

"The cost to advocate for hundreds of children can seem daunting, but CASA’s #Give5Challenge5 campaign is designed to empower everyone to make a difference with just $5. Here is how people can help on Facebook or Instagram:

CASA is challenging community members to follow @casapikespeak on Facebook and donate $5 to CASA’s Facebook Fundraiser. After donating, community members are encouraged to post about their donation using @CASAPikesPeak and #Give5Challenge5, and then tag five of their friends challenging them to also #Give5Challenge5.

Community members can also get involved by following CASA on Instagram, donating through the nonprofit’s Instagram profile, and posting in stories to challenge five friends to #Give5Challenge5 for @CASAPikesPeak."

CASA says if 5,000 people donate $5, CASA will have enough to provide advocates to 20 of the most vulnerable children in the Pikes Peak region. And 5,000 is just a fraction of the population locally -- imagine what can be done if everyone donates!

to donate.

If you wish to go further than the social media campaign and volunteer your time with CASA, information can be