Dallas CASA’s Parade of Playhouses Heads to NorthPark Center

Dallas CASA’s Parade of Playhouses, which brings whimsical, custom children’s playhouses into NorthPark Center for display and to support abused children, runs July 15 to 31, 2016. The 15 playhouses are designed and constructed by local architects, builders and corporations who donate the playhouses to the event, which benefits the abused and neglected children Dallas CASA serves. Some of the unique playhouse themes for this event include an African adventure campsite, a mountain-shaped house with climbing walls on both the inside and outside and a house shaped liked a block of cheese. Other playhouses include a flexible accordion-shaped house, a spacecraft house called “Life on Mars” and a house with a working garage built for a child-sized car.

“These playhouses represent our hope for abused and neglected children in Dallas,” said Kathleen M. LaValle, Dallas CASA executive director and president. “Some children dream of having their very own fantasy playhouses, but abused children dream of having safe and permanent homes. Sadly, two out of five abused children in protective care in Dallas County do not have CASA volunteer advocates. We look forward to the day when we have enough volunteers for each child to have an advocate.”

Dallas CASA recruits, trains and supervises community volunteers who gather information and make recommendations to judges about where children can safely and permanently live. In 2015, 921 Dallas CASA volunteers served 2,680 children in need. But with nearly 4,600 Dallas children in protective care in 2015, many children were left waiting for a volunteer. The playhouses will be on display for 17 days and then given away to lucky winners during a raffle drawing on Sunday, July 31. Visitors have the opportunity to purchase raffle tickets and win a beautiful playhouse. Tickets are $5 each or five for $20 and may be purchased at event ticket tables at NorthPark Center or online at dallascasa.org.