TIFFIN, Ohio — A Tiffin non-profit that helps children in need now needs your help to modernize its office space.
Since 2000, CASA of Seneca, Sandusky, and Wyandot Counties has been run out of a historic building in downtown Tiffin.
The Tiffin office manages 56 volunteers who act as Court Appointed Special Advocates for about 180 children.
However, although more buildings in the area have been renovated during the ongoing revitalization of downtown Tiffin, CASA has not been able to keep up.
"We're not a storefront, we're a non-profit," CASA executive director Tracie Cress said. "And we would love to be able to keep up our building like everybody else's."
There is a bit of a laundry list of improvements for the building.
Some things, like the lighting in the office area, have already been upgraded. But other things, like the leaky roof and buckling hallway walls, have been put on the back burner.
CASA leaders are currently asking for about $25,000 in public donations to be added to a potential downtown Tiffin facade grant to enhance the building's paint and brickwork.
"We need to be able to request records from places. So, we need to have a trusted spot in the community that the police can trust, hospitals, to be able to get the records here and have them safe and secure," Michelle Hess, communication Coordinator for CASA, said.
Future projects include basement waterproofing and renovating the second floor for more office space.
"People notice that our building is not as nice as everybody else's. So, just for the morale of the volunteers; we've had volunteers donate money back to us to paint the front door, that kind of stuff," Cress said. "So, it is noticed by the community "
But the exterior project is at the top of the list for now, as executive director Cress says CASA will be able to apply for a downtown Tiffin facade grant of up to $10,000 in January, so the hope is they can raise the remaining $25,000 in place before applying.
To find out more information or donate to CASA, follow this link.