Court Appointed Special Advocates (CASA)/Prince George’s County, a 2019 Partner Grantee, was recently named as one of three area organizations to be awarded a community grant by Lyft, the ride-sharing company. The program provides $1,000 in ride credits, which will be used to help youth participating in the job readiness program travel to information sessions, interviews, and job training. CASA estimates that 20-30 clients will receive assistance through the grant.
“Incorporating the Lyft grant program into our Job Readiness initiative launched with the Many Hands Partner grant is proving what we already suspected–that transportation is a huge barrier to employment and when we can remove that barrier, young adults are much more likely to secure sustainable employment,” Ann-Marie Binsner, executive director of CASA/Prince George’s County explains. “We look forward to celebrating with these young people the independence and self-esteem a paycheck will bring.”
CASA/Prince George’s County partners with the juvenile court to improve the lives of abused and neglected children living in foster care. CASA serves 35% of Prince George’s County’s foster children through a network of 150 volunteers, who spend, on average, 10-15 hours per month with each child they represent, often becoming the primary source of stability in that child’s life. Within five years, CASA hopes to serve 100% of youth in the county foster care system.
