Atlanta CASA, which speaks up for Fulton County children in foster care, is the newest partner at JA Finance Park, teaching students about giving back.

Atlanta CASA, the nonprofit that recruits and trains volunteers to speak up for children in foster care in Fulton County, has opened a storefront inside JA Finance Park at the Junior Achievement Chick-fil-A Discovery Center in Midtown.

Junior Achievement of Georgia announced on Tuesday, Oct. 27, that Court Appointed Special Advocates (CASA) is the newest partner at the center, which it says hosts more than 30 companies spread across two simulation spaces. CASA’s space is in JA Finance Park, where, according to Junior Achievement, the nonprofit will teach students about philanthropy and giving back in their community.

Junior Achievement of Georgia’s programs focus on middle and high school students, and are delivered by corporate and community volunteers. Alongside JA Finance Park, it runs JA BizTown, 3DE by Junior Achievement and the JA Dream Accelerator, with locations in Atlanta, Cumming, Dalton, Evans, Morrow and Savannah.

Seven people stand behind a red ribbon in front of the Atlanta CASA storefront, one holding a pair of large scissors, with a wall reading We Are CASA behind them
The Atlanta CASA team at the ribbon cutting, in front of the wall that reads "We are CASA. We are the difference." Photo: supplied by Atlanta CASA.

“A pipeline of purpose”

Domonique Cooper, Atlanta CASA’s chief executive, said the partnership was about where a community chooses to put its effort.

“The greatest investment we can make in a community is not in its buildings, but in the potential of its children,” Cooper said in the announcement. “At Atlanta CASA, we believe education opens doors, advocacy changes trajectories, and volunteerism creates generations of leaders who give back.”

“When we connect young people to opportunity and inspire them to become advocates for others, we do more than change individual lives. We create a pipeline of purpose, where today’s children become tomorrow’s mentors, leaders, and changemakers. That is how we transform communities and build a legacy that outlives us all.”

Cooper said the space “represents much more than a new presence at the Discovery Center.”

“It reflects a shared commitment to inspiring the next generation of leaders, encouraging young people to recognize the power of giving back, and demonstrating how education and community involvement can create meaningful, lasting change,” she said.

A woman cuts a red ribbon with oversized scissors, flanked by a man and a woman, in front of a wall listing community partnerships, youth initiatives and impact
The ribbon is cut on the Atlanta CASA space in JA Finance Park. Photo: via Junior Achievement of Georgia.

What CASA does

Atlanta CASA works in the Fulton County foster care system. It recruits, trains and supports community volunteers so that children who have experienced abuse or neglect have a consistent, caring adult advocating for their safety, well-being, educational success and a permanent, safe home, according to the nonprofit.

“As an organization dedicated to advocating for children experiencing foster care in Fulton County, Atlanta CASA understands the importance of ensuring that every child has opportunities to thrive,” Cooper said. “Through this partnership, we hope to inspire young people to see themselves as future advocates, mentors, volunteers, and leaders who will continue making a difference in their communities for generations to come.”

The storefront’s walls carry the nonprofit’s message to the students who pass it: volunteers, advocacy, community partnerships, youth initiatives and impact, under the line “A voice. A chance. A future.”

About 15 people stand behind a red ribbon outside the Atlanta CASA storefront under a large CASA Court Appointed Special Advocates for Children sign
Guests at the ribbon cutting outside the Atlanta CASA storefront. Photo: via Junior Achievement of Georgia.

Two missions, one audience

Junior Achievement said the two organizations share a commitment to helping young people build brighter futures. CASA advocates for children who have experienced abuse or neglect, while Junior Achievement works to prepare young people “to succeed in a global economy,” with programs on financial literacy, career readiness and entrepreneurship.

“Both organizations recognize that every child deserves the opportunity to thrive, discover their potential, and build a successful future,” Junior Achievement of Georgia said.

Cooper put it this way: “Together, we are not simply introducing young people to the importance of giving back. We are helping inspire the next generation of individuals who will lead, serve, and transform our communities.”

The empty Atlanta CASA storefront with a round meeting table, chairs and a wall screen, behind a red ribbon on stanchions
Inside the Atlanta CASA storefront in JA Finance Park, before the ribbon cutting. Photo: supplied by Atlanta CASA.

Learn more

Atlanta CASA’s volunteer advocates are recruited from the community. Details on the nonprofit and its work are at atlantacasa.org. Junior Achievement of Georgia’s programs, including JA Finance Park, are at georgia.ja.org.