Mike & Barb McAdams: Advocating for kids as a couple

Mike and Barb McAdams are a dynamic duo when it comes to advocating for children in Southern Colorado.

For thirteen years, Mike has been providing a voice in the court system for the victims of child abuse and neglect as a Court Appointed Special Advocate. When he’s assigned a new case, he dives in and gets to know every aspect of the child’s life so that when the judge asks him, he’ll have information to help the court place that child in the best possible home.

Why does his work as an advocate continue to resonate after more than a decade?

“CASA is a place where we can have a direct impact helping the most vulnerable children in our community have a better chance at a safe environment that every child deserves,” he said.

Helping children comes naturally to Mike. He’s also a volunteer for the Children’s Literacy Center. In addition to his work as an advocate and a reading tutor, Mike is a Peer Coordinator for CASA which means he supports and guides new advocates as they take on their first cases.

Barb was so inspired by her husband’s commitment to our community’s children that in 2012, she joined the CASA ranks as a volunteer in the Life Long Links program.

As a Life Long Links specialist, Barb searches for family members of foster children so that they can have relationships and connections for the future. She knows how important it is for children in foster care to have a network of natural support that can add value, meaning, and a sense of belonging to their lives.

“Children who must be removed from their families for however long that lasts have a deep need to know and remember who they are and where they come from,” she explained. “They need the support of people who care for them and will still be in their lives when they reach adulthood and no longer have the temporary support provided by the courts.”

The hours and hard work that the McAdams invest in our local children is priceless. To find out what YOU can do for kids right here in Southern Colorado, check out CASA’s volunteer opportunities.

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