CASA’s Janet Martin Legg Home

The Janet Martin Legg Home in Mount Pleasant is taking on a new role in the community as the home for CASA of Titus, Camp and Morris Counties.

CASA, which stands for Court Appointed Special Advocates, professionally trains and supports community volunteers to speak up in court and in the child protection system for children who are abused and neglected and in foster care.

“We are deeply honored that the Mount Pleasant Community Fund has selected CASA of Titus, Camp and Morris Counties to continue the legacy of caring for abused and neglected children in our community,” said Michelle Woodruff, executive director.

The Janet Martin Legg Home at 3723 Highway 1402 is named for a community leader, who along with her first husband, Dr. Russell L. Martin, built the first hospital in Camp County and later the Mount Pleasant Hospital and Clinic. After Dr. Martin died, she later marriedLloyd L. Legg and continued her community service with the Boys and Girls Club, the Parent Teacher Organization and other youth-related activities.

The Janet Martin Legg Home operated as a foster home serving up to eight children at a time from Titus, Camp and Morris Counties. The home ceased to operate as a foster home in 2007 and the Titus County Child Development Center Board, which operated the facility, recently dissolved and released the home back to the Mount Pleasant Community Fund.

The ceremonial handing over of the deed took place at 6 p.m. on June 3 at Tennison Memorial United Methodist Church. The Tennison Board of Trustees and Pastor Mike Cline, representing the Mount Pleasant Community Fund, formally presented the deed to Woodruff and CASA of Titus, Camp and Morris County board members.

The Janet Martin Legg Home, with 3,599 square feet of space, will provide sufficient office space for housing the professional staff needed to recruit, train, supervise and support volunteers as well as training space for new classes of volunteers to speak up for children in foster care as the need increases, Woodruff said.

The CASA program has been operating rent and utility free in its current location at Lambsfold Church 105 E. 16th St. in Mount Pleasant. As the CASA board of directors weighed the generous offer from the Mount Pleasant Community Fund, the directors were concerned about the cost of utilities in the muchlarger space, as well as insurance and maintenance expenses that might arise.

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 Children with CASA volunteers typically spend shorter stays in foster care, are more likely to succeed in school and are more likely to get the services they need to heal. That is good for children – and for taxpayers.

If you would like to become a CASA Volunteer please contact Michelle Woodruff at 903-767-3679 or visit our website at www.casatcm. org. If you are interested in supporting the CASA program and the Children we serve please contact Michelle Woodruff at 903-767-3679.