The Cass Elias McCarter Guardian ad Litem Program, a division of the South Carolina Department of Children’s Advocacy, will host an open house for anyone interested in learning more about becoming a volunteer Guardian ad Litem (GAL).
The drop-in event will take place on April 20 from 2-5 p.m. at the Marlboro County GAL office, 241 East Main Street in Bennettsville, South Carolina. Attendees will have an opportunity to meet with staff and other volunteers to learn how they can positively impact a local child’s life and benefit their entire community.
Volunteer GALs advocate on behalf of abused and neglected children who are involved in family court legal proceedings through the Department of Social Services. Volunteers should be at least 21 years old, have a clean criminal record, no previous DSS case history, and be able to contribute four to five hours a month of your time for a child. Free training is provided to all volunteers.
Marlboro County is currently serving 27 children but only has two volunteer GALs. While GAL staff fill in the gaps, the need for more volunteers is urgent. There has never been a better time to become a child advocate and change a child’s story.
To learn more, contact Shannon Wilder, county director for Marlboro County, at 843-517-1009 or shannon.wilder@childadvocate.sc.gov.
For information, visit http://gal.sc.gov and to download an application. Follow @Cass Elias McCarter Guardian ad Litem Program on Facebook or email communications@childadvocate.sc.gov to subscribe to the newsletter for updates and local events in your area.