Life & Work with Faith Sandahl of Menominee

Today we’d like to introduce you to Faith Sandahl

Hi Faith, so excited to have you on the platform. So before we get into questions about your work-life, maybe you can bring our readers up to speed on your story and how you got to where you are today?
My name is Faith Sandahl, and I’m a lifelong Yooper, mom to one daughter who we adopted from foster care, and the wife of a veteran. I grew up in an area where substance misuse was commonplace, and it’s heartbreaking effects evident on the families around me. The Upper Peninsula is a beautiful place, filled with amazing, resilient people, and it’s long been my goal to make a difference for the people here.

I have been working for CASA of Menominee/Marinette since 2018. I started out as a part-time advocate supervisor, working directly with our volunteers, attending court, and helping to give a voice to local children in foster care in Menominee County. These children are in foster care through no fault of their own, and have experienced abuse and/or neglect in their family of origin. This position opened my eyes to the real and lingering effects of generational trauma, how substance misuse is passed down in families, and how one caring adult can truly make a difference.

I have been the Executive Director at CASA for 5 years now, and have had the privilege of growing the program from one part time employee working out of the basement of a church, to two full-time employees with our own office space, operating across two counties in two states. We’ve been able to more than double our operating capacity and serve children effectively in a unique part of the state, which I’m extremely proud of.

Would you say it’s been a smooth road, and if not what are some of the biggest challenges you’ve faced along the way?
It’s been a journey to be sure! Operating a program across state lines is not an easy task; in fact, we are only one of three CASA programs in the entire county that does. But, we have such a supportive community. People truly do not see the state line here – we are one community, and people recognize that kids deserve the best, no matter where they live.

Appreciate you sharing that. What else should we know about what you do?
CASA is an acronym for court appointed special advocates. CASAs are citizen volunteers who are highly trained and professionally supported to work with children in the foster care system. Our mission is to serve every child eligible for our services with quality volunteer advocacy for children who have experienced abuse or neglect involved with family court to assure each child a safe, permanent, and nurturing home.

There are many people involved in the child’s team when they enter foster care, but CASAs are the only ones fulfilling this unique role in the child welfare system. They are not bound by state policies or the law. They are there only for the child. I am so proud of each and every one of our volunteer advocates. They are giving their time and energy out of the goodness of their hearts because they care about these kids. That is truly special.

We’re always looking for the lessons that can be learned in any situation, including tragic ones like the Covid-19 crisis. Are there any lessons you’ve learned that you can share?
I learned the importance of flexibility. Child abuse and neglect does not stop because of a pandemic, and the kids we serve still need advocacy. We learned very quickly to adapt and to find new ways to serve our kids.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://www.casamenominee.com
• Instagram: https://instagram.com/casamenomineemarinette
• Facebook: https://facebook.com/casamenomineemarinette