Dallas CASA Parade of Playhouses 2015 Will Benefit Children in Foster Care

One of the playhouses last summer in the Dallas CASA Parade of Playhouses at NorthPark Center. Photos: Kristina Bowman

We write about a lot of houses here at CandysDirt, the places where we make our memories, build our families, and have fun.

Today, we’re looking at some very special houses that directly benefit vulnerable children in foster care.

The 20th anniversary Parade of Playhouses at NorthPark Center is an enjoyable, family-friendly event held every summer. It benefits Dallas CASA, an organization of community volunteers trained and appointed to advocate for the best interests of abused or neglected children in foster care locally.

Generous corporations, organizations, and individuals will design, build, and donate extraordinary children’s playhouses to raise funds so Dallas CASA can provide more volunteer advocates to help abused children have safe, permanent homes where they can thrive.

“This 20th-anniversary of Parade of Playhouses is a reminder that all children deserve to be protected and loved,” said Kersten Rettig, Director of Development for Dallas CASA. “While some children dream of having their very own fantasy playhouse, others dream of having a safe, stable home filled by those they love and who love them—this event really helps all of those dreams come true.”

During the 17-day Parade of Playhouses event, raffle tickets will be sold online and at ticket tables throughout NorthPark Center. The winning tickets will be drawn during the closing ceremony of the event at 4 p.m. on Sunday, July 26. All proceeds from sponsorships and raffle ticket sales benefit Dallas CASA.

“With every raffle ticket sold and donation made, Dallas CASA is one-step closer to the goal of having an advocate represent every single child in Dallas County’s foster care system,” Rettig said. “Last year we served just over half of the kids in protective care, which means more than 2,100 children were in the foster care system without a CASA volunteer advocate who frequently is the one constant, reliable adult during that frightening time.”

The new Dallas CASA capital campaign, Abused Children Can’t Wait, has raised almost $35 million, with $2.2 million until completion.  These funds are needed for their goal of ensuring all abused and neglected children living in protective care in Dallas have CASA volunteer advocates by the year 2019.

The Parade of Playhouses will run at NorthPark Center from July 10 to 27.