Leah Cole
Bridges to Success Coach
Bridges to Success Coach
During COVID-19, CASA's work did not end or decrease. It shifted to meet safety requirements at times, but there was actually the need for more "touches," big and small, to make sure our teens and families had what they needed, and to show we cared. Birthdays still happened, and that called for even more fanfare to make the moment special amid all the distancing. Facing a lack of structure and internet access, more support was required to finish out the school year. When employment shut down for older teens, there was a need for trips to the food banks or figuring out how to make ends meet. Some of our young men and women still needed to find housing, attend prenatal appointments, and participate in court dates. At times, for some of our youth, this transition to a virtual world on top of their usual barriers was too much, and they required emotional health support to get them through. Life and its expectations kept going without clear directions for how to navigate or time to prepare. I'm incredibly proud of each one of my teens for finding ways to push through, adjust, and continue to strive for their goals when everything is a bit more uncertain around us.
Because when we build strong children, we build a strong community.
