SIOUX FALLS, S.D. (KELO) — Sioux Falls Area CASA, which stands for court appointed special advocates, is here for kids who are victims of abuse or neglect.

“We work to represent the best interests of kids who’ve been abused or neglected and placed into foster care to help make sure their voices are heard, and then our goal as a program is reunification,” executive director Stacey Tieszen said. “We want kids back together with their biological family if it’s at all possible.”

Sioux Falls Area CASA is one of the recipients of a Tradition of Caring grant from KELOLAND Media Group this year. These grants come in the form of on-air advertising.

“Just having a really nicely packaged video talking to people’s hearts about why it’s important to volunteer is huge,” Tieszen said.

Kids need the support of people who care, and Sioux Falls Area CASA needs volunteers.

“Last year we were only able to attach volunteers to about half of our cases,” Tieszen said.

Tradition of Caring gives local organizations a spotlight.

“They often do not have a marketing budget for them to get the message out about what they do, and so what Tradition of Caring does is it allows them to use the power of KELOLAND to reach a lot of people so people understand what their mission is, so people that need help from that organization can get help,” said Paul Farmer, director of marketing and creative services with KELOLAND Media Group.

CASA’s volunteers connect kids to that help.

“Their big thing is to get to know the kids, so they’re going to go see them at the foster home, they’re going to see them at school, anywhere that those kids might be, and if they’re really building relationships with them, sometimes they show up at soccer games, baseball games,” Tieszen said.

Farmer says the more than $1 million in Tradition of Caring grants have gone out. If you would like to volunteer for Sioux Falls Area CASA, you don’t need to have any legal expertise. You just have to be at least 21 years old, be able to commit your time and pass a criminal background check.