Former foster child now serves as advocate for El Paso foster children

EL PASO, Texas (KVIA) -- A conversation in a hallway. A school visit before the first bell rings. A reassuring smile in a intimidating courtroom.

For a child navigating the foster care system, these simple moments can change the course of a life.

As El Paso students settle into the new school year, local advocates warn that not every child enters the classroom on equal footing. For thousands of foster youth across Texas, back-to-school season brings unique uncertainty, from changing schools to falling behind academically.

That is where Court Appointed Special Advocates, or CASA, steps in.

CASA of El Paso trains community volunteers to advocate directly for abused and neglected children in the family court system. Their mission is simple: ensure every child has a consistent, trusted adult fighting for their best interests.

For one Collaborative family engagement coach with Texas Casa, Maria McCord, that mission is deeply personal.

McCord was once a child in the foster care system herself. Now living in El Paso, she is channeling her firsthand experience into being the voice she once needed.

"Advocates step in at one of the hardest times that a child and a family actually are facing with their court appointed, and they are volunteers. It's a volunteer based organization made up of people who want to come in and speak for children in their most vulnerable state."

Is how McCord described CASA.

"I experienced foster care when I was 13 years old, there were many times where I felt alone and I felt just isolated from my family, isolated from my community. I was moved around a lot. But the consistent person that was in my life was my CASA advocate, who came around and visited me and gave me updates on what was happening with my family, as well as what was happening." Said McCord

CASA of El Paso CEO Lisa Saucedo said she has been with CASA for 26 years. She said they serve 100% of the children that are in foster care. And that this past year, they've served 300 children, provided 55,000 hours of advocacy on behalf of the children.

After CEO Saucedo heard McCord's story for the first time she told ABC-7 this:

"I have a lump in my throat when I hear these stories, and then a deep satisfaction and knowing that we're helping and that we are. A lot of people say to me, how can you do this? And how can you do it for so long? It's such a tough job. I always say to them, because I know we're helping. It's we're on the positive end of their experience."

First established locally in 1986 in the basement of the El Paso County Courthouse, CASA volunteers step up to handle the vital details that often fall through the cracks—helping kids prepare for the first day of school, offering guidance through complex legal proceedings, and providing a stable anchor during times of crisis.

However, statewide numbers highlight a growing need. Texas ranks second in the nation for the highest number of children in foster care. Local leadership says the demand for bilingual, Spanish-speaking advocates in the Borderland is especially critical.

To learn more about becoming a CASA volunteer or supporting local foster youth in El Paso, visit becomeacasa.org or contact CASA of El Paso.