By Tammy Thornton
Court Appointed Special Advocates (CASA) of Atlantic, Cape May, and Camden Counties plans to hold its Community Awareness Luncheon on Wednesday, March 4, at the Linwood Country Club. You may be asking yourself, “What exactly is a CASA?” CASAs are trained volunteers from the community who stand alongside children in the foster system to give them a voice and make sure that their best interests are served.
Children in the foster care system have often been removed from their original homes due to a situation of abuse or neglect. Once a child enters the foster care system, many decisions must be made regarding all the different facets of the child’s life. These decisions can be crucial to the development of the child and will affect them throughout their lives. CASA provides a trained, caring adult who makes the needs of the child a priority and has the knowledge to help them navigate the court system. The advocates are also involved in representing the child to ensure that their medical, educational, emotional, and other unique needs are being met for their long-term well-being. In order to fulfill their role as advocates, CASA volunteers will visit children regularly in their homes, schools, or community centers, attend court hearings, and provide recommendations to judges regarding placement, services, and overall welfare. The primary goal of CASA is to help the child “reach a safe and permanent home as quickly as possible.”
According to Judy Rese, assistant director of Development of CASA for Children for Atlantic, Cape May, and Camden Counties, nearly 200 CASA volunteers are currently advocating for 382 children across three Southern New Jersey counties. She added that over the organization’s 30-year history, CASA has steadily expanded its budget, board, staff, volunteer base and number of children served — growing from a grassroots effort in Atlantic County to include Cape May County in 2001 and Camden County in 2022 — while remaining committed to its core mission of ensuring every child in foster care in those counties has a dedicated advocate and maintaining a strong focus on strategic, community-centered growth.
The nonprofit, 501(c)(3) organizations fundraise “through a diverse mix of individual giving, events, grants, and partnerships, with the goal of building sustainable, community-based support,” according to Rese. Their biggest fundraising event is the Go Blue Dress Down Cocktail Party and Golf Outing. This year, the event will be held on Monday, June 8, at the Linwood Country Club. Their sole ask event for the year is the Community Awareness Luncheon.
During the Community Awareness Luncheon, attendees will learn how CASA volunteers are advocating for children in foster care and the ways members of the community can support their mission. The guest speaker, Bryce MacLeod, has a long personal connection to the child welfare system, having been involved for about 15 years as a youth. The event is free to attend, and guests will be given the opportunity to make a contribution. Registration is required to attend. For information on attending and inviting others to join, contact: Kirsten@CASAacc.org.
