CASA officially opens doors to new facility

June 12, 2025

Special to the Journal

CASA Advocates (CASA) of Bell and Coryell Counties held a ribbon cutting and grand opening ceremony, Wednesday, June 4, to officially open their new office complex in Temple.

The Temple Chamber of Commerce coordinated the ribbon cutting festivities as CASA Board President, Ashley Clapper Bennett, had the honor of cutting the ribbon and welcoming more than 100 guests in to see the new home of CASA.

CASA of Bell and Coryell Counties is also celebrating their 10th Anniversary this year as a stand-alone agency. Over the past 10 years, CASA has served 1,500 children with more than 500 volunteer advocates devoted to making sure their best interests were heard while their cases were heard in court.

CASA recruits and trains community volunteers to become advocates for children placed into foster care. Advocates spend time representing these children in court and in all aspects of the kids’ lives as they meet with teachers, therapists, doctors, attorneys, and many others to advocate for the best interests of each child.

CASA advocates are assigned to one case at a time and remain on the case from start to finish to ensure that each child has someone looking out for their best interests and providing a voice for them in the child protection system.

The new home for CASA is located at 900 W. Irvin Ave. in Temple and provides almost three times the office space as their previous location in Belton. The complex includes 18 offices, a conference room, a large training room, visitors lobby, and a large warehouse and outdoor courtyard area. The building provides more than 8,000 square feet of meeting and office space.

Board President Ashley Clapper Bennett was beaming with pride as the new facility was opened to the public.

“Our goal is to serve as many children as possible in the foster care system in our two counties. The new, permanent home for CASA gives us the opportunity to grow, to add more staff and volunteers to accomplish that and our team of board members made this possible by fundraising, connecting with new donors, and approving the campaign plan once we found out this facility was on the market.

We also have a goal of getting it paid off within five years so we can reinvest those resources to serve even more children in the future,” stated Bennett.

Temple Mayor, Tim Davis, was present to see the new facility and presented CASA officials with an official proclamation noting the special event and thanked CASA volunteers for the impact they have on so many young lives.

Representatives from Texas CASA in Austin were also on hand for the event. Texas CASA CEO, Vicki Spriggs, was joined by Deedra Baker, the Chief Network Services Director, Celeste Prather, and Dennise Jackson.

A special presentation was made to CASA by Bobby Hoxworth, President and CEO of First National Bank Texas, as they provided a $75,000 donation to the CASA for CASA capital campaign to help pay off the new facility.

“First National Bank Texas is the largest bank in our region and we believe in getting behind great causes like CASA who changes lives forever. We appreciate the work that so many volunteers do and the time and energy that CASA pours into giving vulnerable children a chance to be reunited with their families and the loving home they deserve.

I would like to challenge all other banks in the area as well as other businesses and individuals to step up and make a difference by donating to CASA – this is a great program that advocates for the best interests of these children who will be the future of our communities in Central Texas,” added Hoxworth.

Other dignitaries on hand for the event included the Temple Chamber Ambassadors, Bell County Commissioners Bobby Whitson and Greg Reynolds, Judge Cari Starritt-Burnett, Belton City Councilman Luke Potts, and Bette Robinson, one of the original founders of the CASA office in Bell and Coryell Counties.

CASA serves about 300 children in Bell and Coryell Counties with almost 150 volunteer advocates.

For more information about the CASA for CASA capital campaign or how to become a volunteer advocate, go to www.casabellcoryell.org or call (254) 774-1881.