COEUR d'ALENE - Sandra Gunn was concerned she would have to make further reductions to the already slim supervisory staff of North Idaho's Court Appointed Special Advocates (CASA) program.

Since the organization raised $50,000 Saturday at its CASA Hoedown fundraiser, Gunn, the nonprofit's director, doesn't have to make those budget cuts.

"We will continue to maintain our supervisors, to sustain our existing structure," Gunn said.

CASA provides volunteer court advocacy for North Idaho children who have been removed from their homes as a result of abandonment, neglect or abuse.

Funds are needed to recruit, train and supervise volunteer advocates who dedicate their time to investigating, monitoring, reporting and speaking up for children in court throughout Idaho's five northern counties.

There are now two full-time supervisors in Kootenai County. Earlier this year, there were three.

Prior to Saturday's fundraiser, there was a risk that CASA could no longer afford to fully fund all the remaining supervisors positions throughout the region, a move that would have affected the organization's work.

In Kootenai County alone, each of the two existing supervisors oversees 37 volunteers and 57 cases representing children who need advocacy in court.

"The quality and strength of the service is not compromised at this point," Gunn said.

She aims to keep it that way through additional fundraising efforts like Saturday's event.

CASA, which is court-mandated, served more than 650 North Idaho children last year.

It operates on a roughly $200,000 annual budget, and receives $96,000 in state funding. The organization also receives grant funding, but grant award money has dwindled dramatically in recent years forcing CASA to rely more heavily on donations in order to stay operational.