Riverside Needs 40 Volunteers to Change Foster Kids' Lives

Anthony O'Leary entered foster care before his first birthday and spent years searching for stability he couldn't find.

When he tried moving back with his parents in middle school, the abuse forced him back into the system at age 12. That's when Voices for Children connected him with Daniel, a volunteer mentor who changed everything.

"I was looking for a male role model, a person who could teach me lessons and help me grow as a young man," O'Leary said. "That's exactly what I got when Daniel instilled that confidence and made it very clear that I was a capable young man, an individual that could succeed."

Today, O'Leary holds a degree from UCLA and works as a college access adviser at San Diego State University. He also serves on the communications event staff with the NFL's Los Angeles Chargers.

His story isn't unique, but it should be more common. California has more than 60,000 young people in foster care, the highest number in the country. Right now in Riverside County alone, 40 foster youth are waiting for a volunteer Court Appointed Special Advocate (CASA) to step into their lives.

The statistics show why this matters. Foster youth are 25% less likely to graduate from high school than their peers. More than 30% face homelessness when they age out of the system at 18.

The Ripple Effect

Mariana Robles, a retired teacher who has volunteered as a CASA for five years, says watching kids heal makes everything worthwhile. "Watching reunification with parents, or legal guardianship, and just seeing the kids go back to a warm home environment, and start healing, it's just really rewarding," she said.

Jessica Muñoz, president and CEO of Voices for Children in Riverside, points to research showing that one caring, consistent adult outside the home can help young people become resilient even after experiencing trauma. That's exactly what CASAs provide.

O'Leary says his CASA helped him in practical ways, like navigating college applications, but also gave him something deeper. "My CASA literally getting me into college, while doing the metaphoric things, the mental things that are kind of behind the scenes more," he said. "So in all levels, my CASA impacted me so much and changed my future."

Forty young people in Riverside County are waiting for their Daniel right now.