Four new Court Appointed Special Advocates (CASA) volunteers were sworn in Monday by Juvenile Court Judge Edwin Jonathan “Chip” Perry.

The new volunteers—Ruthie Linzey-Henry, Penny Roach, Kathy Pisani and Kelly Higgins—are to advocate for the best interests of abused, neglected and abandoned children, encouraging safety and permanency for the children who have been turned over to the state’s juvenile court system.

CASA, which is celebrating its 20 year in Georgia, has advocated for more than 34,000 children statewide since 1988.

In order to become a CASA volunteer, those sworn-in Monday must commit to at least one year of service, consent to a criminal background check, and complete 30 hours of training and 10 hours of observation.