VOLUNTEER
There were nearly 13,000 children in out-of-home (foster care) placement in New Jersey last fiscal year, and most need your help. Statewide, more than 1,850 CASA volunteers work with more than 2,870 of those children. In Somerset, Hunterdon, and Warren Counties, CASA volunteers served 204 children from our local community this past year, many of whom have since found their "forever families." These volunteers donated more than 7,000 advocacy hours to children in need. Even with their generosity with their time, the need for volunteers is great. If you can spare several hours a month, over the course of 1 to 2 years, you could be a CASA volunteer.
Local CASA programs throughout New Jersey assist both the Family Court and the Division of Youth and Family Services (DYFS) in protecting the best interests of New Jersey's abused and neglected children. Local CASA programs recruit, screen, train, and supervise community volunteers who are appointed by a Family Court Judge to advocate on behalf of individual children in out-of-home placement.
Some of the Things a CASA Will Do:
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Locate relatives who may be interested in pursuing custody
Locate and facilitate camp placements
Attend Court and CPR hearings
Communicate concerns to DYFS,Court and Law Guardians
Attend Case Planning, ISP, IEP and annual Reveiw Meetings
Act as a sounding board for birth and foster parents
Visit the Child or Children monthly.
Speak with everyone involved in child's life
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Support foster parents with information and resources for special needs children
Research community resources that would benefit the child and family
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Interested in Learning More?
Download these documents in PDF format
CASA Fact Sheet
CASA Volunteer Job Description
CASA of SHaW Volunteer Application
Become A Volunteer!