One woman is a social worker. One is a real estate agent who was adopted. One is retired and has more time to help others.
Their life stories might be different, but a new group of volunteers for East Texas CASA all have one thing in mind: helping children navigate one of the hardest parts of their lives.
East Texas CASA, which stands for Court-Appointed Special Advocates, gained six new volunteer advocates Wednesday when they were sworn in at the Gregg County Courthouse.
Court-appointed special advocates have a crucial role to play when children are removed from their homes and placed in the foster care system. Judges appoint them to help the court system find a permanent home for children, research case records, speak with people involved in the child’s life, write reports and monitor the progress of a family and child through the court system. Volunteers provide independent feedback that judges can use in their rulings and speak for the child in court.
Those volunteers play a pivotal role in helping children who need it most, said Sue Todd, executive director of East Texas CASA. The organization needs about 30 more volunteers this year to help children in Gregg, Rusk and Upshur counties. On average, the organization gains between 12 and 15 volunteers annually.
“We present reports to the judge that says all the information that we’ve found, and we make recommendations to the judge as to what we think is in the best interest of those children,” Todd said.
Email newsletter signup
She said she’s excited about the new advocates who were sworn in Wednesday, and she hopes for more. CASA provides all the training volunteers need.
“We just need folks to step up,” she said.
Here are the stories of some of the people who did so Wednesday.
‘So much need’
Nadine Woolsey is a recent “empty-nester” and has known about CASA for quite some time, she said. One of her friends was a volunteer, and she’s been interested in joining for a while. She and her husband, Craig, have been in the oil and gas industry in the area for years. Now that their children are in college, Nadine has more time to give to others, especially children facing a difficult situation.
“There is so much need,” she said. “Some of their life circumstances, I can’t even fathom what they’re going through. They need a lot of help, and they need a lot of support.”
Volunteers with CASA help give children a voice in and outside the courtroom. She hopes she can help children find happiness and security during those turbulent times.
She said she hopes other people will step up to do that, too. Volunteers can handle one case at a time and work under the direction of a supervisor.
“Don’t worry about the time constraints,” she said. “You’ll be able to get this done, and you’ll still have time for your life as well.”
‘They helped me’
Hannah Flowers is a student at The University of Texas at Tyler who will graduate with a marketing degree in December. A Henderson native, she’s also a real estate agent with Julie Woods & Associates Real Estate Firm in Longview.
Despite her busy schedule, Flowers has made the time to be a CASA volunteer. To her, it’s about giving others the type of help she once received.
Flowers, 21, was adopted during her youth, and in December 2025, she requested copies of legal documents related to that process. She got those documents in June and discovered that she had a CASA volunteer all those years ago. She was too young to remember that person, but when she realized the help she’d received then, she felt a calling to return it.
“It’s a sign that I should go help others,” she said. “They helped me. I should help them.”
Flowers and the rest of her siblings were adopted, and all of them have different stories, she said. Some went through a few foster homes, and some went through several foster homes throughout the state.
“I know what it’s like to have kids at different stages,” she said. “I want to be that person that they can come and talk to and just have a voice for them.”
Children are often scared to speak up for themselves, and that’s what CASA volunteers do for them, Flowers said.
Some people might be afraid to step into the fray, but they shouldn’t be, Flowers said.
“CASA has your back,” she said. “We’re a whole community.”
‘You give’
Abbigail Fyffe, a Tyler native, has lived in Longview for about six months and has worked as a pharmacy technician. She joined CASA because her parents were advocates with the Tyler chapter.
“I didn’t understand it at first because I was like, ‘Well, you’re not getting anything,’” she said. “They said, ‘Well, that’s the point. You don’t get anything. You give something.’ … You’re being there for someone that doesn’t have somebody.”
Fyffe said she sees the meaning in what her parents have done to help children in less fortunate situations. She was a little nervous about being an advocate herself, but CASA staff gave her the knowledge and training she needed.
“I’m really looking forward to not only advocating, but providing stability and a sense of comfort for children that don’t have it,” she said. “Sometimes, you just feel like you’re all alone in these situations, and knowing that somebody has your back all the time, what’s best for you, that’s who I want to be for someone.”
‘What can I do?’
A retired corporate coach for defense contractor employees, Christina Wilkinson has known about CASA for only a matter of months. Now that she’s retired, she has more time on her hands, time enough to ask the questions: “What can I do? How can I give back? How can I be of service?”
“As soon as I found out about CASA, I was very excited,” she said.
Wilkinson lived in the Dallas area, but she and her husband fell in love with East Texas after a trip to Daingerfield State Park and moved here.
She said she has a heart for helping children, particularly older children who might not have a family or a place of belonging. That’s because she was on her own when she was 16.
“I had some coaches and some mentors, some other adults that walked me along the way,” she said. “You just kind of want to be that person.”
Children in the foster care system need support, she said. That’s what CASA provides them.
Her advice to adults who are considering helping: “Do it. Get involved.”
‘Gonna be rewarding’
Donna Lewis has called Longview home for about 25 years and is a social worker who usually works with the geriatric population. She’s a recent “empty-nester” and has time to give other people. She learned about CASA from a social worker in Tyler and thought it would be a good fit.
“Being a social worker, giving back is what we do,” she said. “I just want to be a mentor for kids who don’t have that.”
She’s told some family members about being a volunteer, and some of them might join as well, she said.
“I know it’s gonna be rewarding,” she said.
Want to volunteer?
Prospective volunteers must be at least 21 years old, pass a background check and screening, take training, make a 24-month commitment to a case and keep information confidential.
People interested in becoming a volunteer with East Texas CASA can visit easttexascasa.org, visit the volunteer page and fill out an inquiry.