By Jensen Horvath
Since its founding in 1977, Community Actions Stops Abuse Pinellas has served the local community as a nonprofit center for survivors of domestic violence. In doing so, the organization offers a range of services, from legal representation to emergency sheltering.
To sustain these efforts, CASA hosts a variety of community-driven fundraising events that help bridge the financial gaps left by limited federal funding and grant money. Signature fundraising events, like the organization’s recently held A Night in Paris, enable CASA to direct financial support to programs where it is needed most.
Krissy Vogt, founder of The Motha Social Club—an inclusive community for women and mothers in St. Petersburg—shared how CASA’s mission holds a deeply personal significance for her.
“I had a very dear friend, who was impacted by a domestic violence situation,” Vogt said. “As it was proceeding, I felt the need to channel my energy into a healthy outlet, and that is how my involvement with CASA began. Initially, the Motha Social Club and the community service element started out completely unrelated. Next thing I knew, they started to melt together and be a really good foundation for a social club in support of women.”
CASA’s A Night in Paris 2025 gala was celebrated on Saturday, March 29, at The Museum of the American Arts and Crafts. The event, held to raise funds for CASA’s programs, brought the community together for an evening of elegance and fundraising.
The gala offered opportunities for guests to contribute to the nonprofit, including a cocktail hour with revenue enhancers from local artists, a live auction and even a fully virtual silent auction in the week leading up to the event. All proceeds raised during the cocktail hour ensured survivors’ continued access to CASA’s programs, including Florida’s only Family Justice Center.
Amber Valente, head of CASA’s Marketing and Events, says that community involvement is vital to aiding in the organization’s mission.
“CASA is so grateful for the funding it receives, but donor events like A Night in Paris really bolster our mission,” Valente said. “They allow us to grow both our staff and our programs to better serve survivors. For example, if a survivor is no longer safe where they are and they need to leave the state, CASA can use unrestricted funds to buy them a plane ticket and help them escape.”
The Family Justice Center at CASA Pinellas provides a centralized location where individuals can access services such as childcare, filing police reports and safety planning. This approach simplifies access to resources, transforming a typically complex process into one that is more straightforward and recovery-focused.
Beyond community contributions, CASA also relies on a variety of partnerships with organizations that help sustain its efforts through financial support and resource sharing. Virginia Brenman, president of Infinity St. Pete—a local nonprofit dedicated to raising awareness and funds for agencies that aid survivors of abuse—underscored the importance of her organization’s partnership with CASA.
“Infinity’s contributions are a very minor part of CASA’s overall funding, but I am pleased that we were able to play a small part in the expansion of services offered by CASA under Lariana’s leadership, and, in particular, the Family Justice Center,” Brenman said. “Last year, we distributed over $150,000 to our partner agencies. We’re on track to exceed that amount this year.”
CASA remains active in the community year-round through events like Denim Day, an artistic fashion show thrown during March, in awareness of domestic violence and sexual assault. Each October, CASA also organizes a scavenger hunt in downtown St. Petersburg, where teams compete in challenges to learn more about domestic violence and CASA’s programs.
According to statistics provided by CASA, Pinellas County ranked fifth out of Florida’s 67 counties for the highest rates of domestic violence. In 2024 alone, CASA Pinellas reported that the Family Justice Center supported 33,511 individuals.
“On average, after a domestic violence incident, a survivor must travel 20 times, tell their story 17 times, fill out 289 pages of paperwork and miss 53 hours of work,” Valente said. “The Family Justice Center is designed to make the process easier, less overwhelming, and less traumatic. A survivor will only need to tell their story one time at one location, leading to more successful prosecutions for abusers.”
In addition to its programs and outreach efforts, CASA generates proceeds through its local thrift store, which directly supports the organization’s services. The store not only provides financial support but also offers household items and clothing to survivors as they work to rebuild their lives.
“CASA’s tagline is ‘Stand Up To Silence’ because community conversations and awareness are so important to ending violence in our community,” Valente said. “CASA’s events highlight the impact of domestic violence in our community, the staggering numbers of those impacted, and testimonials from survivors.”