WINTON – Two Guardian ad Litem Child Advocates were sworn-in on June 26 by the Honorable Brenda G. Branch, Chief District Court Judge, Judicial District Six in Hertford County.

The new advocates are LaKasha Hardy of Garysburg and Alberta Green of Weldon. These new child advocates along with attorney advocate, Lenita Webb Arrington, will be assigned to cover cases for Bertie, Halifax, Hertford and Northampton counties. A Guardian ad Litem enjoys the personal satisfaction of making sure that a child is not forgotten and has a voice in court as they advocate for the best interest of that child.

The North Carolina Guardian ad Litem Program was created by the state legislature in 1983 to provide abused and neglected children with an independent advocate’s voice in court proceedings. The Guardian ad Litem, along with an attorney advocate, work as a team to protect the child’s legal rights and to promote the best interest of the child in abuse/neglect court. While Guardian Ad Litem volunteers make up a diverse group of people from various educational, economic and ethnic backgrounds, they all seek to ensure that these vulnerable children find safety and permanency.

Join nearly 5,000 of these volunteers across the state and become a Guardian ad Litem today. The next local training session will begin in September 2018.

If you are interested in becoming a Guardian ad Litem Child Advocate contact Judith Jones, Program Assistant, at 252-574-3121 or 1-800-982-4041. You may also visit the local program’s social media sites listed below to begin the process:

www.volunteerforgal.org

www.facebook.com/ncGuardianAdLitem/