CASA Volunteer Enjoys Helping, Seeing Things Through

MARMORA – Marylou Schmidt rolls up her sleeves and gets things done – whether it was during her career in consulting or as a volunteer at the Ronald McDonald House where she has volunteered for years.
As she explained, “I like to be hands-on not behind the scenes but directly with the people who need the services.”
According to a release, when Schmidt “failed” retirement, not once but twice, she began searching for a place to volunteer in the Cape May County area where she and her husband have a home.
Her husband attended an Avalon Lions Club meeting where Court Appointed Special Advocates (CASA)  presented. That night, he told her that he had found a perfect fit for her – matching her need to be hands-on with her great organizational skills.
Four years ago, Schmidt embarked on her new role as a Court Appointed Special Advocate. Since then, she has advocated for eight children.
“My husband says I am relentless,” she stated. “I want to see things through and as a CASA you have to persist to get the resources the children need.”
Schmidt also credits her ability to build relationships with creating opportunities for dialogue between biological parents, foster parents, caseworkers, and the many other people who are involved with the children.
She said it can be overwhelming particularly for the child to have to interface with so many people. Sometimes the case will go on for an extended period, and caseworkers may change, the child may go into a different foster home, often out of the county of origin.
Then the child and the CASA volunteer have to start anew with a different system and different people. The only constant in the child’s life is the CASA volunteer.
Schmidt’s compassionate character means she wants to solve all the children’s problems and it frustrates her knowing she sometimes cannot. She noted that teenagers present unique challenges.
Younger children are adopted more often, and teenagers sometimes are in the system until they “age out.”
Schmidt wishes there were more resources to help those teens transition from the foster system to adult life. She has been working on one case for nearly four years and the teenager is likely to age out.
Despite those challenges, Schmidt has been able to see many of the children end up in stable environments – either through reunification or adoption.
She will continue to use her energy and talents to benefit children through her volunteer efforts at the Ronald McDonald House in Philadelphia and in Cape May County as a CASA.
Schmidt husband was right: CASA was a good fit for her and the children of Cape May County who need advocates like her.