CASA of Stanislaus County

What CASA of Stanislaus County does

CASA of Stanislaus County is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization (Tax ID# 91-2168629) founded in 2002-2003 in Modesto, California, that recruits, trains, and deploys community volunteers to serve as Court Appointed Special Advocates (CASAs) for abused and neglected children in the Stanislaus County dependency court system. The organization operates with a lean paid staff of four (Executive Director Steve Ashman since 2008, Program Manager & Trainer Kelli Bravo since 2013, and two Case Managers) and relies on a bench of 100+ trained volunteer advocates who commit to a minimum 18 months and 12-15 hours per month after completing 30 hours of training across 12 classes held twice yearly. The volunteers are sworn officers of the Court, appointed by judges to advocate for the best interests of children, working alongside attorneys and social workers to prevent children from becoming lost in an overwhelmed foster care system.

The organization's core product is the CASA Advocate Program, supported by the CASA Children's Fund (established 2015, distributing $144,387.16 in gift cards and direct support across 1,862 distributions to foster youth), the CASA BRICK Project (a capital fundraising initiative for the new 915 17th Street headquarters), and the CASA Volunteer Training Program with associated online training materials. Services are provided free of charge to children; the organization generates revenue entirely through individual donations, corporate event sponsorships (notably the annual Light of Hope gala with Platinum sponsor Health Plan of San Joaquin and Gold sponsor DOT Foods), vehicle donations processed via partner CARS 4 A CAUSE, and targeted fundraising campaigns.

The business model is community-led volunteer advocacy, not a technology platform. CASA sits within a broader ecosystem including the National CASA Association, California CASA Association, Foster Youth Services Coordinating Program, Community Services Agency, and the Ticket to Dream Foundation. As of July 1, 2026, CASA was serving children in Stanislaus County with a waiting list of 433 children needing an advocate, indicating substantial unmet demand relative to current volunteer capacity. The organization is governed by a 9-member Board of Directors drawn from local corporate and professional leadership (First American Title, J. Peter Realtors, BMO Bank, Gallo Winery).

Name

CASA of Stanislaus County

Legal name

Court Appointed Special Advocates of Stanislaus County

Website

https://casaofstanco.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

2003

Operating status

Operating

Short description

CASA of Stanislaus County is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit in Modesto, California that recruits and trains community volunteers to serve as court-appointed advocates for abused and neglected children in the Stanislaus County dependency court system, operating with four paid staff and over 100 volunteer advocates.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Child Advocacy / Foster Care Services

NAICS

Child and Youth Services (62411), Educational Services (61)

SIC

Services-Social Services (8300)

akta.pro primary industry

Youth Justice, At-Risk Youth & Violence Prevention Nonprofits (BPAGADAM)

akta.pro secondary industry

Juvenile Justice System (Courts & Detention) (BPAIAFAF)

Keywords

• Child advocacy services
• Foster care support
• Court appointed advocates
• Volunteer mentorship programs
• Child welfare nonprofit

Headquarters

HQ city

Modesto

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Others, Infrastructure

Revenue model

1. Individual Donations: General donations from individuals supporting the CASA mission. Vehicle donations processed through CARS 4 A CAUSE partner.
2. Event Sponsorship: Annual Light of Hope gala with corporate sponsors including Health Plan of San Joaquin (Platinum) and DOT Foods (Gold).
3. CASA Children's Fund: Fund established in 2015 to provide experiences and opportunities for foster children. Includes gift cards and specific funding for needs like tutoring, college support, sports equipment, and emergency assistance. Total of $144,387.16 distributed.
4. Brick Project: Personalized brick sales for entrance of new headquarters at 915 17th Street. Bricks in 4x8 ($100), 8x8 ($250), and 12x12 ($500) sizes.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels1 record

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

CASA of Stanislaus County recruits, trains, and deploys community volunteers who are appointed by Stanislaus County Juvenile Superior Court judges to act as sworn officers of the court and provide individualized advocacy for abused and neglected children in dependency proceedings. Training consists of 30 hours over 12 classes, with each volunteer committing to a minimum of 18 months and 12-15 hours per month of advocacy work alongside attorneys and social workers. The organization supplements its core advocacy service with the CASA Children's Fund (material support and enrichment experiences for foster youth) and the CASA BRICK Project (capital fundraising via personalized engraved bricks).

Product overview

CASA of Stanislaus County is a nonprofit organization offering a single unified advocacy service rather than a software platform. Its core product is the CASA Advocate Program, which recruits and trains community volunteers to serve as Court Appointed Special Advocates for abused and neglected children in foster care. Supporting offerings include the CASA Children's Fund (providing material support and experiences for foster youth), the CASA BRICK Project (a capital fundraising initiative), and a Volunteer Training Program. The organization also provides online Training Materials and Resources for advocate education. Together, these programs work to ensure safe, permanent, and nurturing homes for children in Stanislaus County.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• The CASA BRICK Project: A brick purchasing project to support the program, with personalized bricks placed at the entrance of the new home at 915 17th Street in Modesto.
• The CASA Children's Fund

Products and services

• CASA Advocate Program Court Appointed Special Advocates program in which trained community volunteers are appointed by a judge to advocate for abused and neglected children in Stanislaus County Juvenile Court, providing high-quality individual advocacy to prevent children from becoming lost in the foster care system.
• CASA Children's Fund Fund established in 2015 to provide experiences, opportunities, and material support — including gift cards, clothing, tutoring, sports equipment, computers, and emergency assistance — to children in foster care served by CASA of Stanislaus County.
• CASA BRICK Project A capital fundraising initiative offering personalized engraved bricks in three sizes (4x8 at $100, 8x8 at $250, and 12x12 at $500) placed at the entrance of the CASA office at 915 17th Street in Modesto.

Quantifiable outcome

• 100 children served per year by 2011, exceeding total served in first 6 years combined
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers2 records

Segments1 record

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

Nine partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Ticket to Dream FoundationcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerEstablished as a 501(c)(3) in 2008, dedicated to providing hope and opportunity for foster children. Provides school supplies, holiday gifts, properly fitting clothing and shoes, and funds enriching life experiences. Helps create opportunity by funding aging out programs that increase graduation rates, provide housing, and teach employment/life skills.
• CARS 4 A CAUSEminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorHandles vehicle donations on behalf of CASA. Processes donor information, DMV forms, vehicle pickup, and resale. Evaluates each vehicle to determine best sale method (retail, wholesale, or auction) to maximize proceeds to CASA.
• Famous FootwearminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerAnnual shopping spree partnership where Famous Footwear opens store 2 hours early for CASA to bring 100 children and youth shopping for shoes (1-2 pair each) and socks anonymously.
• Health Plan of San JoaquincoreGTM or Marketing PartnerPlatinum sponsor for Light of Hope annual gala event
• National CASA AssociationcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerNational organization providing advocacy resources for CASA volunteers and program staff
• California CASA AssociationcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerState-level organization providing volunteer resources and support for California CASA programs
• Foster Youth Services Coordinating Program (FYSCP)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCounty program providing support services to foster children including educational support, counseling, tutoring, mentoring, vocational training, and emancipation services
• Community Services AgencycoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCounty agency managing foster care services including receiving homes, regular foster care, and specialized foster care homes
• SpecialNeedsinmycity.comminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerOnline parent resource for families with individuals with special needs providing recreational, educational and community events information

Scale indicators6 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights4 records

Broad incumbents

• Mentor (National Mentoring Partnership): A national nonprofit that supports and advocates for youth mentoring programs across the country. Comparable as a nonprofit infrastructure organization serving the youth-advocacy space, though focused on mentoring broadly rather than court-appointed advocacy specifically.
• National CASA Association: The national umbrella organization for the CASA network, providing training, resources, and federal advocacy support to local CASA programs including CASA of Stanislaus County. Operates as the broad incumbent in the same court-appointed advocacy category, though at a federation level rather than as a direct local competitor.
• California CASA Association: State-level CASA affiliate providing volunteer resources and support to all California CASA programs, including CASA of Stanislaus County. Directly comparable as a peer-tier support organization serving the same mission within the same state geography.
• Big Brothers Big Sisters of America: The largest volunteer mentoring nonprofit in the U.S., pairing adult mentors with youth, including foster children. Comparable as a national-scale nonprofit that recruits, screens, and matches community volunteers to at-risk youth, though without CASA's specific court-appointed authority.

Emerging players

• Together We Rise: A nonprofit focused on improving the foster care experience through providing resources, events, and advocacy for foster youth. Comparable in serving foster children in California and nationally, though operating through direct material support and awareness rather than court-appointed advocacy.
• FosterClub: A nonprofit led by current and former foster youth providing peer support, leadership training, and advocacy for foster children. Comparable in serving the foster youth population with an empowerment focus, but driven by youth themselves rather than adult volunteer advocates.

Direct peers

• CASA of San Mateo County: Adjacent California CASA affiliate operating in neighboring San Mateo County with the same court-appointed volunteer advocacy mission for foster youth. Closely comparable in operating model and geographic/regulatory context.
• CASA of Los Angeles: A larger-scale CASA affiliate serving Los Angeles County with the same court-appointed volunteer advocacy model for abused and neglected children. Directly comparable in mission and operating model, though materially larger in geographic scope and budget.
• Ticket to Dream Foundation:

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/CASAofStanislausCounty
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/casa-of-stanislaus-county

Compliance1 record

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles13 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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M&A

Investments

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Frequently asked questions about CASA of Stanislaus County