Charleston Volunteer Guardian ad Litem

		"Michael" is one of the Forgotten Children: Children who have been abused or neglected and are now living in foster care. In South Carolina, over 5000 children are living in foster care at any given time. These children need volunteer advocates who will stand up for them, so that they can be seen and heard. The Charleston Volunteer GAL Program sponsored a Forgotten Children Rally November 14, 2008 featuring over 100 of the Forgotten Children cutouts being held by the volunteers who stand up for them. View pictures of the rally here. The Charleston County Volunteer GAL Program trains citizens to be positive, effective advocates for children, so that they will not be forgotten.
Charleston County
116 Charleston County volunteers were serving as advocates for 323 abused or neglected children as of June 30, 2008. Our volunteers are ordinary people who want to make a difference for an abused child. If you have 4-6 hours per month to give to a child, you could be that person who makes a difference.
Next training session starts: January 12, 2009.		"Sara" is a child living in foster care who has a volunteer GAL to speak for her. Sara knows that her GAL will stay with her case for as long as it takes to find her a safe, loving home. Sara's GAL visits her foster home, and really listens to what Sara has to say. When Sara's case goes to court, her GAL is usually the person who has been on the case the longest, and can make recommendations that are best for her. The GAL is Sara's advocate, and always tells the Judge what Sara wants, so she will always have a voice. Learn more about the Forgotten Children here.
Who can become a volunteer GAL? Learn about our free training program. See how you can make a difference for an abused child. Questions? Try our FAQ! Ready to start making a difference? Download an application in PDF Format or Word Format or call Charlene Gadsden at 958-4355.
Listing of other counties Charleston Home Page SC Volunteer Guardian ad Litem Program	Charleston County Volunteer Guardian ad Litem Program Charlene Gadsden, Coordinator 145 King Street, Suite 105, Charleston, SC 29401 958-4355 volunteer@Charleston.scgal.org