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CASA holding comedy beefsteak, silent auction fundraiser
(by Debra Winters - January 24, 2008)
An organization whose goal is to help move children in out-of-home placements towards safe, permanent families is having a fundraiser and they need your help.
Passaic County Court Appointed Special Advocates for Children (CASA), located in Wayne, is a new nonprofit group that recruits, trains, and supervises citizen volunteers to advocate for foster children in court. No other agency offers this type of service.
Surprisingly, Passaic County is the last county in the state of New Jersey to receive CASA’s, and family court judges, according to Catherine Fredericks, vice president of CASA’s Board of Trustees, are thrilled.
"It’s such a great program. The goal is for one volunteer to be placed with each child and that volunteer stays with the child until he or she is situated in a permanent home. Children of this nature are usually bounced around and CASA is the stability that they need," Fredericks said.
The CASA program was started by an out of state judge who saw the need of an impartial view while keeping the best interest of the child as the utmost important aspect.
How does it work?
Volunteers are professionally trained in a rigorous program and at the end emerge well versed in the ins and outs of the foster care system. They are given court orders from judges allowing them to view records and meet the necessary people regarding each child. They meet with their case child to find out overall what they really want.
The numbers are staggering.
Any given day there are approximately 500 children throughout Passaic County that are placed in out-of-home situations. These include foster homes, treatment centers, psychiatric facilities, residential/group homes, and juvenile detention.
"The CASA program is a huge, life changing experience in a child’s life. It’s a long time coming in Passaic County," Fredericks fervently stated.
Foster parents, according to confidentiality issues, are not allowed to be volunteers. Fredericks herself is a foster parent leaving her unable to serve as a volunteer however she contributes her time in other ways for instance getting the word out about benefits.
Since the organization functions solely on grants, donations, and fundraisers it is imperative that the public is educated on CASA’s importance to the community. Operating costs are limited to rent, director’s and supervisor’s salaries, and basic office and training supplies.
Passaic County CASA’s First Annual Comedy Beefsteak and Silent Auction fundraiser is taking place at the Brownstone House, in Paterson, on Feb. 27 from 6 to 10 p.m. Tickets are $50 per person. For reservations call 973-494-1509. Donations for a silent auction are needed as well.
Further information on the fundraiser and becoming a volunteer call Erica Fischer-Topp, director of Passaic County’s CASA, at the above listed number or log onto www.passaiccountycasa.org.
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