Martha Rodriguez creates lasting connection with the community’s abused and neglected children

by Michelle Pawelski

Martha Rodriguez’s son once asked if she was anonymous. “There are a lot of volunteers and donations from this anonymous,” he said.

It was a valid question.

The mother of four and grandmother of eight has spent much of her life giving her time, talents, and resources to make life better for others. It is something she believes every human being should do. “Volunteering is the best thing you can do for your mind, spirit and soul…it gives you a sense of inner peace.”

While Martha has volunteered for several organizations, one holds a special place in her heart. For four years, she has served as a Court Appointed Special Advocate (CASA) for Rapid City advocating for nine children during that time. “I’ve always been around kids and love it. Kids are given the short stick and in the case of CASA they need someone to stand up for them.”

CASA was founded in 1977 by David Soukup, a Seattle judge who became concerned by how quickly decisions concerning the lives of abused and neglected children were being made with little information from the child. Bailey Peden, Martha’s volunteer coordinator, said volunteers spend time with the child, building relationships, providing consistency, and reporting back to the judge their observations and the needs of the child.

Martha takes that job seriously.

She provides a non-judgmental, nourishing safe place where the needs of the child come first, Bailey said. “Martha brings a total, utter commitment. When she says she is going to do something she does it,” said Bailey. “We get to write it in the court report, but I know if Martha could, she would scream at the top of her lungs to make sure these kids are in the situation they need to be in to thrive.”

CASA of Rapid City serves kids from Pennington, Custer, and Fall River counties. Currently, there are nearly 400 children in the state’s custody that are waiting for an advocate. “That is the gap we are trying to fill now,” Bailey said. These are children that have been taken from their parent or guardian because of abuse and neglect. The children are in the state’s custody and live in one of a variety of placements including foster, group, or kinship homes. Once a case is open, the parents or guardians have a year to make changes to get their kids back. “We have some cases that close quickly and others that take years,” Bailey said.

Martha is currently on two cases, one since January 2019. The child, in this case, has been in five foster homes, had five attorneys, four advocates, three judges, and countless social workers. Martha has been the child’s constant. “In my opinion, everybody in this world who eats, lives, and breathes should want to help these kids, any kid, because they are our future. There is nothing more rewarding than this. Every child deserves a step up and a break.”

Martha’s other case is on the path toward adoption.

CASA has a rigorous background check and interview process to make sure the volunteer will advocate for the best interest of the child. “The job as advocates is to meet the kids where they are at see what they need, see what we can do to help them grow, and just be consistent,” Bailey said. “We have a huge demographic of volunteers. We just ask the volunteers to show up, be committed, consistent and reliable for the child.” CASA asks advocates to make some sort of contact with their child once a week whether it is writing a letter, text message, phone call or visit.

Martha has helped with homework, taught children to shop for groceries and cook a meal, taken them hiking and to help with volunteering at another local organization. One of her children wanted to be a scientist so Martha arranged a tour of the Sanford Lab, and one of her sibling groups wanted to learn their Lakota language so she took them to classes. “It’s not that hard and the reward is way beyond.”

Bailey said another CASA volunteer helped teach their child to drive and another helped shop for apartments.

“It’s really about teaching life skills,” Martha said. “Let’s make these kids productive and feel valued… therefore they can use that value for something productive. They are way smarter than we give them credit for. They can survive, but it’s just not how we would want our child to learn to survive.”

Even after a case has closed, Martha has maintained a relationship with her CASA children. “I’ve run into my former CASA kids, and they’ll come up and give me a hug and say ‘Miss Martha.’” Despite the outcome of the case, reunification, adoption, or foster home, the child still needs an advocate. “You are not finished with them right away,” Martha said. “What does this do to the child …you have to work with all of that.”

The memories and bonds created stay long after the paperwork is filed. “These are lifelong connections that you are making with kids that may have not had that opportunity if they did not have an advocate,” said Bailey. Despite not having direct contact with the children, Bailey said working with the volunteers and hearing the stories of resilience has been amazing. “You read what they’ve been through, and they are still just kids. They are still growing and becoming independent people. You can learn a lot by watching someone make it through a hard time especially when they are so little.”

Martha’s passion for the CASA program and the children she serves has spread throughout her family with all four of her children becoming advocates and one granddaughter who is looking into volunteering. Martha, who has lived with her husband, a retired Air Force pilot, in Rapid City for more than 30 years, said volunteering not only helps those you serve but also makes the community a better place. She loves Rapid City and wants all those in the community to feel welcomed and valued. “Volunteering not only helps the person or people you are serving, you make Rapid City better and what a great, great thing to do. We are already a shining star this just makes us a brighter star.”