February often centers on big gestures and fleeting moments of love. For children living in foster care, love looks different. It is not defined by a single day or gift, but by the adults who continue to show up when life feels uncertain.
Youth experience constant change. New homes, new schools, new routines. What grounds them is consistency. Someone who listens, advocates, and stays present through the hard days as well as the hopeful ones. That steady connection builds trust, safety, and a sense of belonging.
This month, we are reflecting on how love lives in consistency. In the CASA volunteers who show up again and again. In small acts of kindness that remind children they are seen. In simple moments like sharing a story, reading a book, or standing beside a child in court. These are the quiet ways love takes root and changes lives.
My CASA Journey – A steady voice, a consistent presence.
A CASA volunteer can be a stable, steady voice for a child who learned early that adults and life can be very unpredictable. Choosing an activity or place to go AND showing up to take them is a simple act that builds trust. You might not be familiar with Minecraft or hip hop but through these conversations the gift is that you really listen. Your steady voice reminds a teen that – yes – even when tough things happen, you and your belief in them will still be there next week.
In the midst of this ordinary, opportunities to create joy will appear through new experiences that lift and sustains. VOICES and our community partners support CASA volunteers by providing experiences for their youth.
Said one CASA after attending Ballet Arizona’s Nutcracker:
“They had never seen ballet or a live professional theater performance and they loved it. Winter break from school was an especially difficult time for them in the past. Thank you for helping them create joyous memories at this time of year.”
Want to make a difference in your community?
If this story speaks to you come join us at our next information session, and learn what it really means to become a CASA Volunteer.
Positive Outcomes – Turn your Arizona Tax Credit into consistent support for children.
Love shows up again and again. It stays. For the youth the have been removed from their homes and the family they know, that kind of consistency can change everything.
When you use the QFCO tax credit, you help ensure a CASA volunteer shows up consistently, listens carefully, and stands up for a child’s best interests in court, school, and life-changing decisions. Your support also helps provide Hope Bags, essential items, and ongoing resources so volunteers can remain a steady presence during uncertain times.
Through the Arizona Qualifying Foster Care Charitable Organization (QFCO) tax credit, you can redirect a portion of your state taxes to Voices for CASA Children and receive a dollar-for-dollar credit when you file your tax return.
For the 2025 tax year, Arizona taxpayers can claim up to $618 as a single filer or $1,234 as a joint filer. The deadline for tax year 2025 is April 15, 2026.
Love is not just a feeling. It is action, consistency, and commitment. This tax season, you can choose to make your tax dollars an expression of love for children in our community who need it most.
Learn more about the QFCO tax credit.
Tax Credit Benefits
VOICES is a Qualified Foster Care Organization. You can receive tax credit benefits for your donations in the 2025 & 2026 tax filing year! QFCO #10010
#BeTheirVoice
In Focus – The VOICES Board of Directors — Leaning In & Lifting Up
Board & Staff: Taylor Rihl, Bonnie Brown, Trista Guzman, Debbie Heller, Patti Almirez-Taglianetti
Filled with heart, expertise, and an unwavering commitment to our mission, the VOICES Board of Directors enters 2026 with deep gratitude and a continued sense of urgency. We have an opportunity to leverage VOICES’ strong foundation and accelerate growth that translates into impact experienced at the most personal level, one volunteer and one child at a time.
Our Board reflects the many facets of our community. Members include tenured business leaders, young professionals, retirees, and CASA volunteers—each contributing a distinct and invaluable perspective to VOICES’ strategic direction. Together, they steward long-term sustainability while championing bold ideas that move our mission forward.
We are grateful to all Board members, past and present, and proudly welcome our 2026 Officers: Trista Guzman, President; Jenna Devlin, Vice President; Taylor Rihl, Treasurer; and Debra Heller, Secretary. United in purpose, the VOICES Board consistently stands alongside advocates and the youth being serve—yesterday, today, and to the future.
Community Voice – Partner to celebrate CASA volunteers.
In mid-April, 2026, VOICES will be hosting a special event to honor the incredible CASA of Maricopa County volunteers who walk alongside children living in foster care every single day. These dedicated advocates show up in courtrooms, school meetings, and medical appointments. They listen, they advocate, and they ensure that every child’s voice is heard and their needs are met.
We’d love the business community’s partnership in making this celebration even more meaningful. This CASA volunteer appreciation event is an opportunity to say thank you to the advocates who give so generously of their time and hearts. Your generosity demonstrates that our business community stands beside those who serve youth. Sponsorship opportunities range from $5,000 to $20,000 with visibility benefits including recognition in our newsletter, social media, event program, and our “By Their Side” podcast. Additionally, underwriting opportunities at various levels allow you to support specific event elements and our mission.
We’d love the business community’s partnership in making this celebration meaningful. This CASA volunteer appreciation event, is an opportunity to say thank you to the advocates who give so generously of their time and hearts. Your generosity demonstrates that our business community’s stand beside those who serve youth. Sponsorship opportunities range from $5,000 to $20,000, with visibility benefits including recognition in our newsletter, social media, event program, and our “By Their Side” podcast. Additionally, underwriting opportunities at various levels allow you to support specific event elements and our mission.
Whether you’re looking to make a significant impact as a Presenting Sponsor or support the event through underwriting, there’s a way for your organization to be part of this celebration.
Ready to partner with us?
For questions or to customize a sponsorship package, contact Patti Almirez-Taglianetti at patti.almirez-taglianetti@voicesforcasachildren.org.
Education – Why Connection Heals: The Science Behind the Heart
Research in developmental neuroscience shows that consistent, supportive relationships play a critical role in healing childhood trauma. Trauma disrupts the brain’s stress response system, often keeping children in chronic hyperarousal. This impairs learning, emotional regulation, and the ability to form secure relationships.
The good news is that the developing brain remains highly plastic throughout childhood and adolescence, creating a window for repair. When a young person experiences consistent, predictable care from a trusted adult, their nervous system receives repeated signals of safety. Over time, stress hormone activation decreases, and the prefrontal cortex (responsible for decision-making and emotional regulation) can develop more fully.
These changes are cumulative and measurable. Repeated experiences of calm presence and emotional attunement strengthen neural pathways associated with regulation and secure attachment while reducing reliance on survival-based responses.
From this perspective, connection is not simply supportive; it is biologically necessary. For CASA volunteers, consistent presence and calm engagement function as evidence-based interventions that contribute to healthier brain development and improved outcomes for youth in foster care.
To learn more about this topic, check out our podcast episode, Neuroscience, Trauma, and the Path to Resilience featuring Rick Griffin!
Listen Here (Published June 5, 2025)
