Richland County

Richland County CASA Quarterbacks

Program: Richland County CASA
Location: Columbia, SC

The Richland County CASA Quarterbacks is a winning “team” of CASA volunteers committed to serving children and building the ranks of male volunteers. What began as a tight group of 13 advocates in 2005 has grown to a dedicated team 100 members strong—and still growing, with the addition of 10 new men each quarter.

The primary volunteer recruitment activity for the CASA Quarterbacks is hosting quarterly “tailgate” events—public information-sharing sessions where team members describe the value of child advocacy to potential volunteers. At these events, Quarterbacks each sport a custom designed football jersey and carry a football bearing the first names of the children they have advocated for. The number of names on the footballs they carry is a point of pride for team members, a symbol of their commitment to the children they have served. The quarterbacks also help train and support their new volunteers.

The CASA Quarterbacks are frequently called upon to share this highly replicable model with other CASA programs. In 2012 they were honored with a “Best in Philanthropy” award from Columbia Metropolitan Magazine.