SILVER ANNIVERSARY — Marci Crawford, left, executive director of the United Way of Jefferson County, chats with Rhonda Stubbs, executive director of A Child’s Place Court-Appointed Special Advocates, during an open house celebrating the latter group’s 25th anniversary. The group has served 2,025 children involved in abuse and neglect cases in Brooke, Hancock and Jefferson counties. -- Warren Scott

FOLLANSBEE — When Rhonda Stubbs sat down to calculate the number of children A Child’s Place Court-Appointed Special Advocates has served since it was established 25 years ago, she was surprised by the total.

She discovered that as of 2025, the year of its silver anniversary, the nonprofit group has aided 2,025 children involved in abuse and neglect cases.

One of 939 state and local CASA programs throughout the U.S., the agency has trained 106 volunteers to help court officials ensure the children are in a safe place since it was established in February 2000.

As founder and executive director of the local program, Stubbs has seen various changes, including changes to its office location and its expansion from Brooke and Hancock counties to Jefferson County in 2015.

But at an open house at its Follansbee office on Dec. 19 marking the anniversary, she noted the need not only remains but has increased.

It’s Stubbs’ 30th year with CASA, having worked with one in Virginia before returning to Brooke County, where she had graduated from Bethany College.

She confirmed she left a teaching job with good pay and benefits in the Washington, D.C,. area to join the organization.

Stubbs said her role with the local organization gives her some flexibility in planning her personal life, but she also must be prepared when a hearing is scheduled for a parent or guardian who has been charged with abuse or neglect.

Stubbs often takes on cases when the group’s trained volunteers aren’t available or there aren’t enough volunteers to aid the children currently in cases.

A Child’s Place CASA currently has 16 volunteers and will be holding another training session in January.

The sessions run from 10 to 15 hours and include a self-paced online portion.

All CASA volunteers must undergo a criminal background check and take oaths, administered by a local judge, to keep confidential details of the cases they are assigned.

Following training, the volunteers attend hearings to learn of conditions ordered by courts for parents who have been reunited with their children.

They also meet with the families and others to help a judge determine the best long-term situation for the youths.

Sharon Tiger of Martins Ferry is among CASA’s current volunteer advocates.

She said having worked in the corrections system, she’s aware of many children who have come from troubled family situations.

“There needs to be more of us helping with these children, because (state child protective service) case workers are so overwhelmed,” said Tiger.

She said very often, youth without the best role models go on to have brushes with the law.

“I wish every kid in the (criminal justice) system could have an advocate,” said Tiger.

She said of Stubbs, “I think Rhonda does such a great job. She is such a calming person.”

Tracy Thomas of Weirton noted there are other ways to aid A Child’s Place CASA, including volunteering at its office, as she has done for at least 20 years.

“They’re always looking for help here. I enjoy it. It’s really rewarding,” said Thomas.

She said a friend on the program’s volunteer board of directors told her about it.

“I said, that’s something I want to get involved with,” Thomas recalled.

Stubbs said the building donated to the organization is a work in progress, with some repairs needed, and anyone with experience in that area is encouraged to contact her at (304) 737-4444.

A Child’s Place CASA relies on grants, donations and fundraisers to support its operations, including two staff members who aid Stubbs.

Stubbs joked that she and Rebecca Mitchell, who coordinates the program’s volunteers, often “keep it going on caffeine and determination.”

Stubbs and others with CASA usually are drawn to it because of their compassion for children, and often that has led to the group reaching out to the youth in other ways.

As an example of donations received by it, Stubbs related dropping off a gift card donated by a local AARP chapter to a family that has been struggling since its federal food assistance was interrupted by the government shutdown.

She said upon receiving it, the parent was moved to tears.

Recently, the Books-A-Million store at the Ohio Valley Mall invited its patrons to donate books for the children served by A Child’s Place CASA and were given CASA bookmarks that explain its purpose.

Stubbs said the bookstore learned of CASA through an employee who had worked as an intern for the nonprofit.

Through the promotion, A Child’s Place received $13,000 in books advocates will give to the children during their home visits, she said.