Mountainside Mayor Paul Mirabelli and the town council declared Tuesday, Feb. 20, 2018, as Court Appointed Special Advocates (CASA) of Union County Day during a town hall ceremony. In addition to CASA staff, Mountainside residents Ron Silver, former CASA volunteer and currently vice president of the nonprofit’s Board of Trustees, and Nancy Kinney, a CASA volunteer currently advocating for two children in foster care, were in attendance to show their support.
CASA of Union County recruits, trains, supervises, and supports community volunteers to advocate for abused, neglected and abandoned children placed in foster homes or residential facilities. There are nearly 600 Union County children, from birth to age 21, in foster care, and the nonprofit advocates for half of these youth. Volunteers ensure children’s best interests remain the priority while working toward establishing a safe, stable, and permanent home for each child. The organization’s goal is to provide a CASA volunteer for every foster youth.
Said Executive Director Marla Higginbotham, “It’s wonderful Mountainside has taken note of the crucial work CASA advocates do for Union County’s foster youth. In doing so, they help the organization continue to inform the community about the six hundred local children in foster care, a fact many don’t realize, and their needs. We are so grateful to Mayor Mirabelli and the town council for declaring CASA Day and supporting our work to protect the best interests of these vulnerable youth from all corners of Union County. They’ve endured the trauma of loss, abuse and neglect, they face an uncertain future and they need permanency in a safe and loving home.”
Most CASA volunteers have no prior knowledge of the foster system and varied backgrounds that contribute toward success with the youth. For example, a recent class of CASA volunteers ranged from age 21 to 81, were parents and non-parents, recent retirees, college students, business professionals, a teacher, nurse, attorney, professors, and homemakers. After training 30 hours and observing court, advocates are sworn in by a judge and receive court-ordered access to a child and all parties in their life. Advocates report their findings to the judge, working to ensure their youth’s best interests remain a priority.
There are three upcoming trainings for those seeking to become a CASA volunteer. For details, or other ways to help CASA reach more foster youth, reach Courtney at cgreen@casaofunioncounty.org or 908-293-8136.
(above, l-r) Among those gathered for presentation of the proclamation were, CASA Development Manager Phyllis Dunlop; Executive Director Marla Higginbotham; Board Trustee Sally Hogan; Board President Jennifer Mutch; CASA volunteer Nancy Kinney; Mayor Paul Mirabelli; Board Vice President Ron Silver; and Board Trustee Antonio Dei Medici.
