The Kansas CASA Association has been nominated by the Walmart Foundation State Giving Program to be one of five statewide non-profit organizations competing in the Walmart Associates Choice program for a $100,000 grant. Through this new grant-making initiative, each Walmart employee across Kansas is being given the opportunity to vote for one organization to receive the grant. Voting will conclude on Aug. 6. In addition to the opportunity to compete for the $100,000, each non-profit organization will receive a $10,000 grant from the Walmart Foundation just for being nominated.

"At Walmart we believe in a philosophy of operating globally and giving back locally," says Toby Youngblood, state giving project manager of the Walmart Foundation. "The Associates Choice Program was designed for two reasons: To engage Walmart Associates in determining where funding would go in their communities; and to generate awareness for a number of worthy statewide charitable organizations."

"We are grateful to the employees of Walmart for choosing Kansas CASA as a finalist for such a generous grant opportunity," says Janette Meis, State Director. In 2010, the twenty-four CASA programs in Kansas advocated for over 2,000 children. However, there were approximately 3,000 additional children we could not reach. "The $10,000 we will receive from the Walmart Associates Choice Program will make a real difference in our ability to serve the abused and neglected children within our state."

For more information about Kansas CASA go to www.kansascasa.org.