Waltham woman makes a difference by advocating for foster youths

With students returning to school this month, Boston CASA is calling on the public to donate to its annual back-to-school drive, in which the organization collects gift cards and basic school supplies for youth in the foster program. CASAs, or Court Appointed Special Advocates, are trained volunteers who work with these youth and those in the court system in a variety of ways. 

Daralyn Perry, an insurance company owner and Waltham resident of 28 years, is one such volunteer.             

It all started with “Dr. Phil.” Laid up watching daytime television following surgery in 2022, Perry came upon an episode in which the talk show host explained how he was a supporter of CASA and recommended the program to those who wanted to help youth in need. 

That message hit home with Perry, who describes helping such people as something she was “always hardwired” to do. When her son was in high school, she took in one of his classmates who was living in abusive conditions. 

Her “bonus son,” as she calls him, is now an adult but she is still involved in his life. A contentious custody dispute he had with his son’s mother motivated Perry to join CASA. Perry felt that the judge didn’t take the court-appointed advocate’s assessment of the situation seriously. Remarking on the intensity of the situation, Perry said, “It worked out fine, but it didn’t have to be that.”

Training for CASA

Perry says prior experience like hers is not typical or required for CASA volunteers. She describes encountering “people from whatever walks of life” in the ranks of the program, ranging from college graduates to retirees. 

Boston CASA advises participants that they only need to be 21 years or older– and able to make an 18-month commitment to serving as an advocate following a seven-week training period. The training consists of sessions with speakers who describe situations that CASAs may encounter in the work, including complicated feelings in those who were abused and how to work with transgender and nonbinary youth. 

She also says the training addressed  “everything I had a concern about…they kind of quieted the concerns in my head.” 

Perry was matched with her first case in November 2022. 

That case saw her working with a teenager from a LGBTQ+ youth home, who Perry describes as a quiet girl who didn’t share much at first. Perry obtained a grant from CASA to fund the girl’s driver’s education class. “[It was] fabulous to be able to provide this opportunity to this particular young adult,” she said. 

There is a waiting list for youth to get a CASA, and the work can be challenging. Perry says she sometimes feels uncertain and helpless: “We can see around corners that [the children] can’t see…but they can choose not to listen… How do you support that?” Then again, encouraging their decision-making is part of the work, she notes.

Perry’s Waltham charge has chosen to keep her in her life even after turning 18, with the two still meeting for mani-pedis, and Perry stays involved as a resource if the girl ever needs her. On the morning we spoke, Perry accompanied her to court. According to Perry, people who know about their relationship say, “[The girl] knows she always has you, you’re in her corner.” That, she says, makes her feel like she’s doing work that makes a difference.

According to a 2025 article from The Bedford Citizen, Boston CASA raised more than $1,200 in gift cards and supplies in last year’s drive. This year, the organization is requesting items such as headphones, graphing calculators, pocket folders, and water bottles. Their Amazon wishlist will be publicly available until Sept. 8. To donate or learn more, visit linktr.ee/bostoncasa or email Charly Snellings at charly@bostoncasa.org.