As you make your New Year’s resolutions and goals for 2014 you may be thinking of ways you can make a difference in our community this year.
A very worthy cause that deserves your consideration is volunteering as a guardian ad litem. A guardian ad litem volunteer advocate provides a voice for abused and neglected children.
I spoke with Lee Bradley today, the local program supervisor for Polk County, about the program and the current needs in our community.
Bradley explained that a guardian ad litem is a trained community volunteer appointed by a district court judge to seek the best interests of abused and or neglected children petitioned into court by the Department of Social Services.
Once assigned the volunteer investigates cases by making home visits, talking with parents, school personnel, community members involved in the case and assigned social workers.
The volunteer then advocates alongside the guardian ad litem attorney for their recommendations for the child in court.
For further info on this program please see their website at www.NCGAL.org
If you are interested in helping make life better for a local child in need please consider joining their team.
You can contact Lee Bradley directly at 828-694-4215 or email him at Terry.L.Bradley@nccourts.org.