Community Impact Advocates: I Am United Way

By Heather Clemens, Media Consultant for the United Way of the Mark Twain Area
Hannibal, Mo. – Gay Phillips is a dedicated volunteer and United Way Community Impact Advocate, joining others who share firsthand how United Way strengthens the community.
Gay gives back using a resource everyone has: time. She volunteers tirelessly to support children and families, driven by a lifelong passion for helping those in need.
A former high school teacher, Gay often saw students living in abusive or neglectful situations. After teaching she ended up having a career as a flight attendant. But, once she retired she knew she wanted to continue making a difference.
“After I retired, I told my husband—who had been a Juvenile Officer and later a Deputy Sheriff—that I wanted to be a CASA advocate,” said Gay. “I didn’t think I could do it on my own, so we started together about 10 years ago. I just want kids to know someone is there for them—someone who has a voice for them and wants the best life possible.”
CASA (Court Appointed Special Advocates) is a program of Douglass Community Services that recruits and trains volunteers to advocate for children who have experienced abuse or neglect. The program receives monthly support from United Way.
CASA volunteers work with children in foster care, often serving as the one consistent adult in their lives. While placements, caseworkers, and circumstances may change, CASA volunteers remain with a child until their case is resolved, providing critical information to judges and advocating for the child’s best interests.
Gay is currently a CASA volunteer for four children and has worked with ten children over the past decade. The length of each case varies, but building trust is always essential.
“My first case involved three young children, and I was with them for six years,” she said.
“Even after they were adopted, I stayed in touch. Seeing them happy, loved, and well cared for—it makes your heart happy.”
Establishing trust can take time, especially for children who have experienced trauma.
“Once a child knows you’re there for them, it makes all the difference,” Gay said. “You have to earn that trust.”
When asked what she would say to someone considering becoming a CASA volunteer, her answer is simple: “Please do it. Children need someone in their corner—someone to speak for them and look out for their best interests.”
The need for CASA volunteers continues to grow. “At one point we only had enough volunteers for eight cases,” Gay said. “Now there are nearly 50 cases, with more volunteers in training. That’s encouraging, but the need is still great.”
Becoming a CASA volunteer requires 30 hours of pre-service training, and time commitments vary by case. Gay estimates she spends around 10 hours per month with younger children and about four hours monthly with older youth she has worked with longer.
“In the beginning, it takes more time to build rapport,” she said. “But overall, it’s not a huge time commitment to make a big difference.”
For Gay, the reward is deeply personal. “When a case ends in a good outcome, knowing the children are where they should be—it’s an incredible feeling. It makes your heart very happy.”
She adds, “My greatest reward is bonding with the kids and knowing they trust me. Even years later, when they run up and hug me—that’s how you know you made an impact.”
In addition to CASA, Gay volunteers weekly at the Palmyra Food Pantry, helping stock shelves and prepare essential items for families. She also supports EMBRACE Children and Families by assisting in their resource shop, which provides clothing, furniture, and other necessities to foster families.
“There are always opportunities to help,” Gay said. “Call Douglass, United Way, or the Salvation Army—they can point you in the right direction.“