Court Appointed Special Advocates (CASA) of Union County kicked off National Volunteer Week with a Mix and Mingle event at Rosie’s Wine Bar in Garwood for its corps of volunteer child advocates as well as those in the community interested in learning more about the volunteerbased organization that works with Union County children in foster care.
Said Executive Director Marla Higginbotham, “The evening was about celebrating those who commit to the foster children in our own community and sharing with others the mission of CASA, but also, on a larger scale, we wanted to celebrate the tenor and intention of National Volunteer Week, and the significance of service to others.”
Among those attending were numerous current CASA volunteers, eager to visit amongst each other and share experiences with those curious about their advocacy work. Board members and staff celebrated the volunteers and shared ways others can also give back to their community through CASA of Union County, as it works to reach the two-thirds of Union County foster youth awaiting a CASA volunteer.
National Volunteer Week began in 1974 as a way to recognize and celebrate the contribution of volunteers, and since has expanded to a nationwide effort urging Americans to give their time to community outreach organizations. The theme is “Celebrating People in Action” and nonprofits like CASA of Union County recognize their volunteers as well as celebrate and foster a culture of service.
Most CASA volunteers have no prior knowledge of the foster system and successful advocates have varied backgrounds that contribute toward success with the youth. For example, the most recent graduating class of CASA volunteers ranged from age 21 to 81 and had parents and non-parents, recent retirees, students, business professionals, a teacher, nurse, attorney, professor and homemakers. CASA volunteers train 30 hours to become an extra set of eyes and ears for Family Court judges. They have court-granted access to all parties in the child’s life, including foster parents, doctors, caseworkers, therapists and teachers, and incorporate into court reports findings from these contacts as well as visits with the youth. Volunteers advocate in the community and court to ensure their youth’s best interests remain a priority while working toward a safe, stable and permanent home for each child served.
Today, there are 600 Union County children in foster care; CASA of Union County’s goal is to provide an advocate for every foster child that needs one.
For information on the next training or to learn other ways to help the nonprofit reach its goal, contact Courtney at cgreen@casaofunioncounty.org or (908) 527-7045.
(above l-r) Bohdan Lukaschewsky, Bev Luehs, and Mary Ellen Lawrence, CASA volunteers.
