Heart of Missouri CASA raises $51,000 at Voices of Columbia music competition

Columbia Daily Tribune
·2 min read
Songwriter Forrest McCurren motions during Heart of Missouri CASA's Voices of Columbia event June 16 at The Blue Note. McCurren was the winner of the event, raising $3,309.
Songwriter Forrest McCurren motions during Heart of Missouri CASA's Voices of Columbia event June 16 at The Blue Note. McCurren was the winner of the event, raising $3,309.

Heart of Missouri CASA announced its recent Voices of Columbia music competition raised $51,000 to serve local children in foster care.

The annual event was held June 16 at The Blue Note in Columbia and featured six musicians who performed to raise money for Heart of Missouri CASA, which stands for court-appointed special advocates. Concertgoers purchased tickets and could vote for their favorite act by donating to the organization, according to a news release.

David Anderson, owner of Chimaeric Motion Pictures and the Voices of Columbia 2022 presenting sponsor, told the crowd that Heart of Missouri CASA is changing lives by stepping in for children when they are most vulnerable.

More: From South Africa to Columbia: One man's impactful journey helping kids in foster care

"Our company exists to tell people's stories, and through our work we've learned that Heart of Missouri CASA exists to change people's stories; to step in when kids are at one of the most vulnerable points in their lives and do everything they can to support those kids and help them navigate through a tumultuous, tragic journey that has been forced on them, through no fault of their own," Anderson said.

The performer with the most amount of money raised was declared the winner. Forrest McCurren was the winner of Voices of Columbia 2022, raising $3,309. Of Sea and Stone came in second with $2,552, and Billy McDow raised $1,055, finishing in third place.

More: These six artists will lift their voices to benefit Heart of Missouri CASA

The remainder of the money was raised through local business sponsorships and donations from community members in attendance. The money will provide 2,040 hours of advocacy serving children in the foster care system in Boone and Callaway counties, the release stated.

For 17 years, Heart of Missouri CASA has trained volunteers to serve children in foster care. Volunteers are sworn into their advocate roles by a judge and assigned to a single child or a sibling group after completing an interview, a background check and a 30-hour intensive training program.

The organization now supports over 175 volunteers who advocate for over 375 children a year. More information about Heart of Missouri CASA can be found at www.homcasa.org.

This article originally appeared on Columbia Daily Tribune: Heart of Missouri CASA raises $51,000 at Voices of Columbia event