HAMMOND, La.  – The Southeastern Louisiana football program and Child Advocacy Services (CAS) announced a new partnership on Tuesday in the Victory Club at Strawberry Stadium.
 
The Lions will adopt CAS' Court-Appointed Special Advocates (CASA) program as its primary charitable cause. The primary objectives for the Southeastern Louisiana football program is to raise funds and awareness for, while encouraging others to volunteer to be involved with, Child Advocacy Services and the CASA program.
 
"This is a great opportunity for our football program to give back to our community," Southeastern head football coach Frank Scelfo said. "We often forget how fortunate we are and to be able to help others is very important."
 
Scelfo believes Child Advocacy Services is a tremendous organization for the Lions to be involved with.
 
"Child Advocacy Services CASA was the perfect fit for us to work with as far as non-profit organizations in our area are concerned," Scelfo stated. "We felt it could be an equal partnership. It gives our student-athletes a chance to influence youth in our area through football. Those kids we'll be working with will touch the lives of our student-athletes and help them be better people."
 
Child Advocacy Services Chief Executive Officer Rob Carlisle said Child Advocacy Services CASA is thrilled to partner with the Southeastern football program.
 
"Coach Scelfo's leadership demonstrates, 'Our Town, Our Team' to the fullest," Carlisle said. "Children are the heart of our town and community. This partnership will lead to more adults being trained as CASAs to speak up and speak out for children. CASAs are more than mentors, they have real power to change futures for children."
 
"Coach Scelfo understands teams give back and help support others," Carlisle added. "He is creating big experiences for his players, those children we serve, and our entire community. Children Child Advocacy Services CASA serves will feel included and supported, even when those adults they trusted have failed. Those are the 'extra' points being left as a legacy through this partnership. We will not be remembered for how many touchdowns we scored or how many yards we gained, but more the changes we had in improving lives. This partnership will change lives and futures."
 
Child Advocacy Services is a private, non-profit umbrella agency providing services through the court appointed special Advocates (CASA) program, Children's Advocacy Center (CAC) program, and other services supporting its mission to give voice, healing, and security to children.
 
CAS offers advocacy and clinical services for children and families in 10 parishes including Ascension, Assumption, East and West Feliciana, Livingston, St. Charles, St. Helena, St. James, St. John and Tangipahoa Parishes.
 
Court Appointed Special Advocates (CASA) recruits, trains, and supervises volunteers who serve as powerful voices for abused and neglected children as they navigate through the court system. CASAs are every day community members appointed by a judge to advocate for children in need of care. CASAs work collaboratively with professionals in the child welfare system and report to the judge on the child's behalf. A CASA stands beside the child with the primary goal of helping them reach a safe and permanent home, as quickly as possible.
 
For more information on Child Advocacy Services CASA, visit www.childadv.net or call toll-free at (800) 798-1575.
 
UP NEXT FOR LION FOOTBALL
Scelfo, junior offensive lineman Alfred Beverly and junior defensive back Dejion Lynch will represent SLU at the Southland Conference Football Media Days on July 19 at the Hilton Houston Post Oak by the Galleria. The Lion representatives will be on stage at 1:15 p.m. and the entire event will be streamed on ESPN3 and the WatchESPN app.
 
The Lions will officially report to campus on July 31 with the first practice of fall camp set for August 1. Southeastern opens the 2018 season on Aug. 30 with a 7 p.m. contest at ULM.
 
SEASON TICKET INFORMATION
For season ticket information, please contact the Southeastern Athletics Ticket Office at (985) 549-5466 or visit www.LionSports.net/tickets. The Lions will welcome conference foes Central Arkansas (Sept. 15), Northwestern State (Sept. 29), Houston Baptist (Oct. 13), Abilene Christian (Oct. 20) and McNeese (Nov. 3).
 
TOUCHDOWN CLUB / S CLUB
Fans interested in becoming active supporters of the football program are encouraged to join the Touchdown Club. Lion football alums are encouraged to join the exclusive S Club, which is restricted to Southeastern athletic letterwinners.
 
All membership fees and donations to both the Touchdown Club and S Club (football) are available for the exclusive use of the Southeastern football program. Membership information is available by contacting the Lion Athletics Association at laa@southeastern.edu or (985) 549-5091 or visiting www.LionUp.com.
 
SOCIAL MEDIA
For more information on Southeastern Football, follow @SLUFootball and @Coach_Scelfo on Twitter, like /SLUathletics on Facebook and subscribe to the SLUathletics YouTube channel.