CASA Will Use Recent Grant to Meet Rapidly Growing Need for Court Advocates to Help Abused and Neglected Children
Nonprofit is one of 12 Lansing-area charities to benefit from $250,000 awarded through Jackson Biannual Grant Program
Lansing, Mich. - June 9, 2022 - A Lansing-based child advocacy agency will use a recent grant to grow and further diversify its volunteer base to better meet the rapidly growing need for services and support by underserved children in Ingham County who are under court jurisdiction due to abuse and neglect.
Court Appointed Special Advocates (CASA) for Kids, which provides children with highly trained advocates within the court system, received the $25,000 grant from the Jackson National Life Insurance Company (Jackson®) biannual grant program. Rachel Swedburg, the center’s executive director, said the funding will increase CASA’s capacity to train and recruit new volunteer advocates with a deep understanding of the needs of children of color in the welfare system, who are disproportionately represented compared to the general population. The assistance is timely, she added, considering the number of Ingham County judges who requested support from CASA tripled in 2021 and the nonprofit desperately needs more advocates to serve the 450 children facing neglect or abuse in the county.
“CASA is committed to advocating for every child we can, regardless of their race, background, or identity. To accomplish this, we need community volunteers from diverse backgrounds to undergo trauma-informed, culturally competent advocacy training,” said Rachel Swedburg, Executive Director, CASA for Kids Inc. Barry, Eaton, and Ingham. “Because of Jackson's Biannual Grant Program, CASA will be able to fund a designated highly trained staff position to focus on intentional recruiting and training within our community. As an agency, we are deeply grateful for Jackson’s commitment to our community and for the grant funding that will allow us to better advocate for more children in the coming year!”
CASA for Kids was one of 12 nonprofits in the Greater Lansing area to benefit from $250,000 in grants awarded by Jackson’s community grant program, according to Danielle Robinson, assistant vice president of corporate philanthropy. Jackson will provide grants to more eligible nonprofits this fall, particularly to organizations that support strong families and increase economic opportunities in the communities where Jackson operates.
“Jackson is thrilled to back the efforts of CASA for Kids and all of our other grant recipients,” Robinson said. “As a purpose-driven company, we are dedicated to enriching our communities by supporting programs that strengthen families and create economic opportunities. Our grant partnerships are just one way we express our commitment to improving the communities where we live and work.”
Jackson’s contributions in the greater Lansing area are part of its national philanthropic impact through which the company contributed more than $4.88 million to nonprofit community organizations in 2021 and supported hundreds
of charities. In addition, Jackson associates volunteered more than 11,500 hours with charities nationwide and 81 associates served on nonprofit boards of directors last year.
Charitable organizations in the Lansing area interested in applying for a grant from Jackson are encouraged to submit an application for consideration by visiting the company’s website. The next grant application deadline is Thursday, September 1, 2022.
To learn more about CASA for Kids and its efforts providing support to neglected and abused children in the court system, visit http://www.casaforkidsinc.org/.
####
ABOUT JACKSON
Jackson® (NYSE: JXN) is committed to helping clarify the complexity of retirement planning—for financial professionals and their clients. Our range of annuity products, financial know-how, history of award-winning service*, and streamlined experiences strive to reduce the confusion that complicates retirement planning. We take a balanced, long-term approach to responsibly serving all of our stakeholders, including customers, shareholders, distribution partners, employees, regulators, and community partners. We believe by providing clarity for all today, we can help drive better outcomes for tomorrow. For more information, visit www.jackson.com.
*SQM (Service Quality Measurement Group) Contact Center Awards Program for 2004 and 2006-2021, for the financial services industry (To achieve world-class certification, 80% or more of call-center customers surveyed must have rated their experience as very satisfied, the highest rating possible).
Jackson® is the marketing name for Jackson Financial Inc., Jackson National Life Insurance Company® (Home Office: Lansing, Michigan), and Jackson National Life Insurance Company of New York® (Home Office: Purchase, New York).
