SOMERS POINT – CASA for Children of Atlantic and Cape May Counties will host a three-week spring CASA volunteer training session from 5 to 9:30 p.m. beginning Tuesday, April 26 at the CASA office located at 321 Shore Road in Somers Point, N.J. The 30-hour, 2-night a week course equips individuals with the skills necessary to advocate on behalf of abused and neglected children in the foster care system.
The trainings are free and open to the public, but participants must complete an application, interview and background check before being accepted into the program. Anyone interested in attending should call (609) 601-7800 or visit www.AtlanticCapeCASA.org to download an application.
WHAT: CASA Volunteer Training Session
WHEN: Tuesday and Thursday nights for 3 weeks beginning April 26
WHERE: CASA office located at 321 Shore Road in Somers Point, N.J.
COST: Free with completion of application process
About CASA –
Trained CASA Volunteer Advocates speak in family court on behalf of abused and neglected children in the foster care system and are dedicated to ensuring these children are placed in safe permanent homes as quickly as possible. In Atlantic and Cape May Counties, over 700 children are placed in foster care annually. Last year, CASA served nearly 300 abused and neglected children with 175 Advocates and helped place 94 children in permanent homes. Volunteering for CASA is a rewarding experience says Volunteer Advocate Judy from Mays Landing, N.J., “The CASA program addresses one of the most compelling problems of our society, narrows it to one small child and allows me to enter that life and make a difference.” For more information about CASA visit www.AtlanticCapeCASA.org. CASA is a United Way Partner Agency.
About National CASA
In 1976, Judge David Soukup, then Presiding Judge of King County Superior Court in Seattle, Washington, realized he was making life-altering decisions regarding children’s lives without enough information about the children. He began to look for alternative ways to make sure that the child’s best interests would be consistently presented to the court. Judge Soukup decided to use trained community volunteers, individuals who would be asked to make a commitment for the life of a child’s case. His idea became a full-fledged program in 1977 and word of its success spread quickly. Encouraged by the National Council of Juvenile and Family Court Judges, new CASA programs began to develop around the country. Currently, over 1,000 CASA programs exist nationwide, with 68,000 CASA Volunteer Advocates serving over two million children. For more information on the national CASA program please visit www.casaforchildren.org.
Cape May – Governor Murphy says he doesn't know anything about the drones and doesn't know what they are doing but he does know that they are not dangerous. Does anyone feel better now?