MISSOULA – April marks National Child Abuse Prevention Month and the Court Appointed Special Advocates (CASA) of Missoula held a Superhero Run on Saturday Morning.
CASA helps abused and neglected children transition into safe permanent homes.
The 5K course went all the way around Fort Missoula and more than 200 people got decked out to run in their favorite hero costumes. Monte and local police even helped the kids arrest a “villain.”
CASA Executive Director Charity Stubb’s mother had mental health and chemical dependency issues, so she was put in foster care in high school.
She moved around in 21 different states before she graduated, and says an advocate would have helped her navigate her time in the child welfare system.
“I didn’t have two parents to help me navigate becoming a young adult until I met my foster parents. And my foster parents were fantastic,” Stubb said
“But it would have been nice to have somebody to go to and say this is what I need as far as my schooling goes. Or I’m looking into these colleges, or I need this support when I graduate high school. So it would have been nice to have that support from a volunteer advocate,” she added.
Stubb’s foster parents ran in the event and she told MTN News the Superhero Run will help 53 kids in Missoula who are waiting for an advocate.
