CASA Lake County celebrates newly renovated permanent ‘home’

VERNON HILLS – CASA Lake County held a ribbon-cutting Sept. 4 to celebrate the grand opening of its newly renovated office.

Community members, supporters and key partners came together to mark the milestone for the Lake County CASA program – the completion of a permanent, modernized and more functional space to support its critical mission of advocating for children in the Lake County foster care system.

For many years, CASA Lake County had been leasing its office building in the Corporate Woods Parkway. When the lease expired in 2019, the organization was presented with the opportunity to buy the building.

Thanks to a recommendation by state Sen. Dan McConchie, CASA received funding from the Illinois Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity to make the building its permanent home. However, shortly after buying the property, heavy rains caused significant water damage, requiring extensive repairs, including the replacement of ceiling tiles, flooring and walls.

Beyond the damage, the building lacked the necessary space to accommodate CASA’s growing staff. Recognizing the need for a complete overhaul, CASA Lake County applied for a renovation through Designs for Dignity, a nonprofit specializing in transforming nonprofit spaces. CASA was selected and the renovation was completed in July.

Thanks to the support of McConchie, John and Kathy Schreiber, The Sammann Family Foundation, the Lake County Board, the First Presbyterian Church of Deerfield, Designs for Dignity and many in-kind donors, CASA Lake County’s office has been transformed into a welcoming space for staff and volunteers. The renovation addressed not only the water damage but increased the building’s functionality to better accommodate CASA’s growing needs.

“This renovation represents a new chapter for CASA Lake County. We are deeply grateful to all the individuals and organizations that made this transformation possible,” said Terri Zenner Greenberg, executive director of CASA Lake County. “Our new space will help us better serve the children and families of Lake County and support our volunteers in their vital work.”

The ribbon-cutting was a moment of celebration honoring the dedication of all those who contributed to making CASA’s new home a reality.

For more information about CASA Lake County, visit www.casalakecounty.com or contact Lori Petersen at 847-383-6260, ext. 205 or lpetersen@casalakecounty.com.