(Reno, Nev.) – On the heels of the successful Washoe CASA Book-tober Fair held at Barnes & Noble Reno in October benefiting the Washoe CASA (Court Appointed Special Advocates) Foundation, Barnes & Noble has delivered kindness once again.
Barnes & Noble Reno recently provided the Washoe County Second Judicial District Court, Family Division, with books and toys to benefit children and adults attending hearings at the courthouse. Barnes & Noble is also encouraging those going through the court system to keep the books and toys, as they will replenish the area with more.
“We had such success with the Washoe CASA Foundation and its book fair, that we wanted to find a way to help our court’s family division,” said Suzanne Stock, community business development manager at Barnes & Noble, Inc. Reno. “CASAs, CASA kids, foster care children, and adults will benefit from these small gestures. Going to court can be an intimidating process for anyone, especially children. We would like people to have something pleasant that they can use, share or take with them.”
“Our children are our greatest, most precious assets,” said Judge Egan Walker of the Second Judicial Court. “When I opened the boxes of books and toys, it was an emotional moment for me. It’s challenging to meet the everyday needs of our community’s foster kids. This will help make a positive impact on our children and families going through the court system.”
In Washoe County, more than 900 abused or neglected children live in foster care because they cannot live safely at home. CASAs are trained volunteers that advocate for an abused or neglected child in family court proceedings. Since the first CASA program was started in 1977, court-appointed volunteers have demonstrated that they effectively support abused or neglected children by providing court judges with important information concerning the children they work with.
“CASAs act as the eyes and ears of the court and bring the kids into three dimensions for me,” said Judge Walker, “Judges are the gatekeepers for what happens or doesn’t happen for the child in foster care.”
Walker said his vision is to improve the client waiting room areas with updated reading rooms, age-appropriate resources and ideally, have the rooms staffed with volunteers who can help people with their reading while waiting for their hearings. Reno-based author and former foster care child, Virginia Castleman, has written about the foster care system in her book, Sara Lost and Found, and will also provide her books for people to enjoy.
For more information on the Washoe CASA Foundation, please visit washoecasafoundation.com.
About Washoe CASA Foundation:
The Washoe CASA Foundation’s mission is to support the Washoe County CASA Program through fundraising, advocacy, outreach and community awareness. The Washoe County CASA Program in the Second Judicial District Court is dedicated to the safety, well-being and best interests of abused, neglected and dependent children who are the subject of judicial proceedings. Appointed by the court, CASA volunteers work diligently to determine what is in the best interest of the child and ensure that positive outcomes are achieved. The CASA volunteer’s commitment is to only one or two children at a time. Low caseloads mean advocates can give each child’s case the personal attention that is often not possible in the social services system.
About Barnes & Noble, Inc.:
Barnes & Noble, Inc. (NYSE: BKS), the world’s largest bookseller and a Fortune 500 company, operates 704 bookstores in 50 states. Barnes & Noble College Booksellers, LLC, a wholly-owned subsidiary of Barnes & Noble, also operates 635 college bookstores serving over 4.6 million students and faculty members at colleges and universities across the United States. Barnes & Noble conducts its online business through BN.com (www.bn.com), one of the Web’s largest e-commerce sites, which also features more than two million titles in its NOOK Bookstore™ (www.bn.com/ebooks). Through Barnes & Noble’s NOOK™ eReading product offering, customers can buy and read digital books and content on the widest range of platforms, including NOOK devices, partner company products, and the most popular mobile and computing devices using free NOOK software.
General information on Barnes & Noble, Inc. can be obtained via the Internet by visiting the company’s corporate website: www.barnesandnobleinc.com.
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