CASA information sessions this month
PASSAIC COUNTY. Court Appointed Special Advocates work one-on-one with an abused or neglected child, advocating for their needs.
| 03 Jan 2024 | 08:13
Court Appointed Special Advocates (CASA) of Passaic and Union counties need volunteers who can help the most vulnerable population: children in foster care.
More than 300 children, from newborns to teenagers, who are in foster care each year and need a volunteer advocate to be their voice each year.
CASAs work one-on-one with an abused or neglected child, advocating for their needs and gathering information from the family, caretakers, teachers, doctors and caseworkers to make informed recommendations to the family court about the child’s future.
Volunteers do not need specific background, training or education ; all training and resources are provided through 36 hours of pre-service training and ongoing continuing education.
The next training class will begin Feb. 13.
“The training provided is informative and enjoyable,” CASA Candace Eardley of Totowa said. “The feeling of having helped a child, even in some small way, is indescribable.”
The first step is to attend a volunteer information session. They are held at 415 Hamburg Turnpike (off Owens Drive) in Wayne.
Sessions are scheduled at 10 a.m. Tuesday, Jan. 9; 5: 30 p.m. Thursday, Jan. 11; 10 a.m. Tuesday, Jan. 16; 5:30 p.m. Thursday, Jan. 18; 10 a.m. Tuesday, Jan. 23; 5:30 p.m. Thursday, Jan. 25; and 10 a.m. Thursday, Jan. 30.
To register, go online to www.casapassaicunion.org, send e-mail to Julie Ritsema at julie@casapassaicunion.org or call (973) 832-4002.