The Kansas CW | Non-Profit Gets Money to Boost Technology
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By Alana Rocha(HARVEY COUNTY, Kan.)
It will help recruit and retain volunteers who look out for victims of child abuse, all while speeding up the court process.
Today a Hutchinson computer networking company awarded C.A.S.A., an area non-profit, thousands of dollars to upgrade its technology.
"Our priority is to serve the best interest of the kids we represent," Melanie Watkins said.
Watkins heads up the McPherson - Harvey County chapter of C.A.S.A. Court Appointed Special Advocates match volunteers with victims of child abuse.
They look out for the kids throughout the court process.
"We're a non-profit. In reality, that's not our priority. Our priority is not technology," Watkins said.
She says she knows how important having up-to-date computer technology is for the work she oversees. The budget just isn't there.
Watkins works on a computer that crashes daily, lacks a professional e-mail address and equipment to give volunteers.
"They literally laughed at our computer systems," Watkins said.
She's speaking of NMGI. The Hutchinson computer networking company saw C.A.S.A.'s need for a technology makeover.
Wednesday it gave Watkins $25,000 to make it happen.
"We'll be able to provide them a little more of a professional image where I think they'll feel more comfortable in volunteering for our agency," she said.
Watkins says the money will help attract and retain volunteers like Duane Graham by offering continuing education and training online.
9th District C.A.S.A. Graham says, "Those are the things that keep me prepared for all the strange things I'm going to run into out there."So why should you care? "The children we serve do not leave the communities. They are our future," Watkins said.
A future that will now have technology on its side.
C.A.S.A. serves an average of 75 victims of child abuse every year.
