When Your Heart Is Broken, Make Art with the Pieces: A Night of Impact, Healing, and Celebration

CASA of Jefferson County recently hosted a powerful and inspiring evening titled “When Your Heart Is Broken, Make Art with the Pieces.” The event brought together advocates, volunteers, and community partners to celebrate the resilience of children in foster care—and the people who show up for them every day.

We were honored to welcome distinguished guests from the Indiana state office of GAL/CASA, including Teresa Lyles, Program Coordinator; Kelly Bray, Optima Program Manager; and Stan Piercefield, Consultant. Their presence reinforces the strength of collaboration between local and state programs in serving children across Indiana.

A highlight of the evening was the Champion for Children Award presented to CASA Volunteer Jillian Gregory in recognition of her extraordinary service to 76 children since 2019. Jillian’s commitment extends far beyond advocacy. In a deeply meaningful contribution to the evening, she donated a one-of-a-kind quilt—The Bursting Hearts Quilt—to the event auction.

Each piece of the quilt was created over time with her CASA children, representing moments of connection, trust, and healing. Jillian lovingly brought the pieces together into a finished work of art, symbolizing exactly what this event was about: making something beautiful out of brokenness. The quilt raised $2,500 to support CASA’s mission.

Teresa Lyles, who received the Champion for Children Award, was presented by former State Director Rae Feller, JD, who also took a moment to recognize the remarkable achievements of CASA of Jefferson County at both the local and state levels—referring to the program as a “premier program.”

“Teresa’s impact on our organization cannot be overstated.” Executive Director, Pennington shares, “When CASA of Jefferson County transitioned to a single-county program in 2022, her support, guidance, and care were foundational. She helped build the framework that allowed our program not only to stand on its own, but to thrive. Her leadership continues to shape our success, and we are deeply grateful.”

We were also proud to honor Grote Industries with a Champion for Children Award for their continued generosity and dedication to children in foster care.

As our Executive Director shared during the program, the holiday season is both a heavy and beautiful time. While CASA works to ensure that nearly 100 children in foster care experience the joy of Christmas, we also recognize that many children in the same foster homes may not have a CASA volunteer. Yet their needs—and their worth—are no less important.

“What’s in the best interest of every child experiencing foster care,” she shared, “is that Santa shows up—no matter the county, and whether they have a CASA or not.”

That’s where partners like Grote Industries make an incredible difference. From the office to the manufacturing floor, Grote employees come together each year to raise funds, shop, wrap, and deliver gifts for 20 to 35 children. Their generosity helps lift an immense weight from our shoulders and ensures that more children feel seen, valued, and remembered during the holidays.

The event raised more than $55,000 in support of the program, a powerful reflection of the generosity and commitment of our community. These funds are especially meaningful as much of our funding is restricted, making flexible support like this essential to sustaining and growing our impact.

Contributions like these allow us to continue developing new ideas and launching innovative projects that better support the community members who step into the gap to ensure children’s voices are heard in meetings, hearings, and other critical settings where they might otherwise go unheard.

This support also creates greater opportunities to raise awareness about our mission and expand access to meaningful, high-quality training for our entire network of advocates. We are deeply grateful to our community for continuing to invest in this work and stand alongside those who are committed to making a lasting difference in the lives of children.