Light the Way Home
The smallest light can brighten the darkest night.
At CASA Central Virginia, light is at the center of all we do: the light in the eyes of the children we serve, how we might lighten the load for those working to create stability and safety in those children’s lives, and most importantly, how we can work to light their way home. When the CASA Advocate working with Amelia, the seven-year-old artist whose piece is displayed above, shared Amelia’s illustration with us, we were struck by how her image captures the light at the heart of our larger CASA community: our children, advocates, team, and donors.
For our artist Amelia, her light shines brightly when she shares her list of definitive likes and dislikes–always with grand gestures and a playful smile. At the top of Amelia’s list these days are chicken quesadillas, Finding Nemo, and school, where trips to the library to pick out a new Junie B. Jones book and indoor soccer in gym class tie for her favorite activities. Amelia frequently shares with her CASA Advocate her aspirations: she wants to be a veterinarian, so she can make her mom–her favorite person–proud. Her CASA Advocate, in turn, has shared it is her ultimate goal to light the journey there.
In this season of gratitude and celebration, we see lights everywhere: especially within our community of generous donors whose gifts allow CASA to bring hope to the children we serve. As 2025 draws to a close, please consider joining these luminaries through making a gift to light the pathway of a child like Amelia and many others throughout Central Virginia.