Court-Appointed Special Advocates on St. Croix: The Record
Legacy context
The preserved pages of viva4children.org document a vital chapter in St. Croix’s history. The site describes the work of the Virgin Islands Volunteer Advocates for Children, Inc., which operated the Court Appointed Special Advocates (CASA) program on the island. Founded in 1995 and assumed by VIVA in 2004, this program trained volunteers to advocate in court for children who entered foster care due to abuse or neglect. The archive also captures the community’s resilience after Hurricane Maria in 2017, when the organization appealed for help while navigating the storm’s devastation.
For those researching court appointed special advocates in St. Croix today, this legacy offers important context. The former program’s mission—providing a stable, caring voice for vulnerable children in the legal system—remains a recognized need. While this specific nonprofit no longer operates at this address, the historical record shows how local advocacy and education efforts were woven into the island’s recovery. The archived pages serve as a reminder of the dedicated individuals who once worked to restore childhoods, and they offer a starting point for understanding the evolution of child welfare services in the U.S. Virgin Islands.
VIRGIN ISLANDS VOLUNTEER ADVOCATES (VIVA) FOR CHILDREN
EIN 66-0642012
IRS Form 990 Filing Summary
Organizational Purpose
The filing states that Virgin Islands Volunteer Advocates (VIVA) for Children was created as a legal umbrella to host programs designed to work with children who have been abused or neglected [1]. The organization's mission, as recorded in the Form 990, is to serve as the administrative and legal structure for these child-focused initiatives.
Child Advocacy Project Description
The core program described in the filing is the Child Advocacy Project. According to the 990, this project serves the needs of abused and neglected children by training and supervising volunteers who become advocates for these children [2]. The program operates while the children are under the jurisdiction of the court and in the custody of the government [2]. The filing states that the children's lives are made better by the charitable work of Child Advocacy Project program staff and volunteers [2].
Program Activities
The Child Advocacy Project monitored the children's lives and advocated for the provision of services necessary to the child's basic needs [2]. The filing specifically identifies safe shelter and appropriate medical and academic services as examples of the basic needs for which the program advocated [2]. The record describes the program as one that trains and supervises volunteers, with program staff also engaged in the charitable work [2].
Historical Context
The 990 describes the organization as having been created as a legal umbrella to host programs designed to work with children who have been abused or neglected [1]. The filing does not provide a founding date, historical narrative, or details about the organization's evolution over time. The record is silent on the specific year of creation, any predecessor organizations, or changes in program scope.
Court and Government Relationship
The filing indicates that the children served are under the jurisdiction of the court and in the custody of the government [2]. The program's volunteers become advocates for these children while they are in this status [2]. The record does not specify the particular court, the nature of the jurisdiction, or the government agency holding custody. The 990 is silent on the legal mechanisms, referral processes, or formal agreements with judicial or governmental bodies.
Volunteer Training and Supervision
The filing states that the program trains and supervises volunteers who become advocates [2]. The record does not provide details on the training curriculum, the duration of training, the number of volunteers, or the supervision structure. The 990 is silent on volunteer qualifications, background checks, or the ratio of staff to volunteers.
Services Advocated
The program advocated for the provision of services necessary to the child's basic needs [2]. The filing names safe shelter, appropriate medical services, and appropriate academic services as examples [2]. The record does not enumerate other types of services, nor does it provide counts of children served, numbers of advocacy cases, or outcomes of advocacy efforts. The 990 is silent on any quantitative measures of program activity.
Staff and Volunteers
The filing references both program staff and volunteers as performing charitable work [2]. The record does not provide the number of staff, the number of volunteers, or any breakdown of compensated versus uncompensated roles. The 990 is silent on staffing levels, job titles, or volunteer hours.
Financial Information
The evidence provided does not include financial figures, revenue amounts, expense allocations, or asset values. The record is silent on the organization's budget, fundraising activities, or the cost of operating the Child Advocacy Project.
Limitations of the Record
The filing describes the program's purpose and general activities but does not provide specific case results, individual child outcomes, or success stories. The record does not mention any partnerships with other organizations, nor does it reference any legal proceedings, court orders, or case dispositions. The 990 is silent on any evaluation methods, program assessments, or quality control measures.
Summary of the Filing's Content
The Form 990 for Virgin Islands Volunteer Advocates (VIVA) for Children presents a concise description of the Child Advocacy Project. The program trains and supervises volunteers to advocate for abused and neglected children who are under court jurisdiction and in government custody [2]. The advocacy focuses on securing basic needs, specifically safe shelter, medical services, and academic services [2]. The organization itself is described as a legal umbrella for such programs [1]. The filing does not provide additional detail beyond this program description and organizational purpose.
This page is an archival note for informational purposes only. It does not offer representation, evaluate claims, or create a professional relationship.