Guardian Ad-Litem

I have been a GAL volunteer for several years and can tell you that we make a difference in the lives of these kids. With GAL involvement, these kids get the opportunity to have at least one consistent person to follow and mentor them throughout the process. Only one visit per child per month is necessary and there is reimbursement for expenses if necessary. It is a very worthwhile volunteer program and am grateful that it exists for the sake of the kids in the DCF system. We need more volunteers to make an even bigger difference. Be part of the solution. Become a GAL!

I volunteered for GAL for almost 2 yrs. Put in hundreds of hours toward helping the kids in the program, spent time collecting hundreds of dollars of Christmas presents for this organization to give to their children and countless amounts of my own money for gas to see that the children I was assigned where being seen at least once a month and if they where local seeing them almost every week.(which is not required) Then I neglected to leave one statement made by a therapist out of my monthly report on a case and so I (of course) brought up what I had failed to mention in my initial report (in court) because I wanted to be sure that the judge was aware of what was going on. Only to be told by the judge (Brantley S. Clark Jr.) that was hearing the case.. that there was no point in having a GAL if they were going to be like me and leave something out of a report.

I would not suggest anyone spend any time or effort toward this organization because in the long run the court ( who you are actually volunteering for when you are a GAL) does not recognize or respect the effort, countless time and expenses (of your own) you put into the job you do for them.

Find a better way to spend your time and your hard earned money to help the children of our community. Don't waste your time volunteering for a court system that does not appreciate anything that you do for them and then condemn and demean you in court for the job you have done ( for them) when you make one simple mistake.