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Local Community Supporters
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For several years, Rebecca Yun-Lee and her husband have been coordinating a fundraiser in memory of their daughter to benefit CASA's aging out youth. She stopped by the CASA office to meet our staff and drop off checks totaling $3,200 (!!) that was raised by their family and friends during this year's event. Thank you to all who participated and we are so grateful for their continued support. A Licensed Clinical Psychologist and Certified School Psychologist, Rebecca and our CASA team also discussed ways to collaborate on a workshop for our advocates this coming fall.
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Bergen CASA is so grateful to Genevieve and Mauricio Barragan, who adopted Christopher (age 6) and Darien (age 5) earlier this month. They hosted a celebratory adoption party and, in lieu of gifts, they asked their family and friends to bring needed items for kids in foster care to be donated to CASA. This week they delivered over 16 bags of toys, toiletries, baby care items and clothing to the CASA office and posed for this beautiful family photo. We are so happy AND proud of this very special "forever" family! We also extend a huge THANK YOU to Marjorie Goldstein, CASA volunteer, who was assigned to the boys for nearly 2 years.
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Thank you to everyone in the NJ Legislature and Administration who has been incredibly supportive of CASA and the work of our volunteers. CASA and the children we serve have consistently benefited from strong bipartisan, bicameral support as well as an Administration that recognizes the value of CASA in a child's life. We would like to thank them for supporting restoration of CASA funding to $2M in the FY17 State Budget. We also want to take this opportunity to thank Governor Christie and the Administration for keeping that funding in the State Budget that was signed at the end of June.
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Linda Chen
CASA since 2013
Linda began her career as a flight attendant for United Air Lines and moved up from there to various management positions within the company. She became a stay-at-home mom once her son was born. After a long hiatus, she re-entered the work force, earned a Master's degree in Counseling and became a high school counselor.
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What drew you to the CASA program?
The many and varied situations that arose at the high school, including calls to DCP&P for assistance for her students and their families, motivated me to do more for children and teens once I had the time. After seeing an advertisement for CASA in the newspaper, I decided it was a perfect fit.
Tell us about the challenges and rewards of being a CASA.
The most challenging part of working as a CASA volunteer is the patience and tact required while navigating a system over which I have little to no control. By far, the most rewarding aspect of this work is the three-year relationship with the two young brothers for whom I advocate. As a CASA, I have learned that as much as I would like to make a perfect world for my CASA kids while in foster care, it is important to celebrate any small victories I can achieve to benefit them.
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Volunteer Recognition Dinner
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Every year, Bergen CASA is invited to attend
the Bergen County Superior Court's Volunteer Recognition Dinner at the Fiesta in Woodridge which honors the
volunteer efforts of those who work to
provide justice to the people of Bergen County.
Judge Melchionne spoke very highly about Bergen CASA in his speech at the event and praised all of our advocates for their critical role in the court process and in the lives of the children assigned to the CASA program. Our new Peer Coordinators (PC's) attended this year's event with Theresa.
Last fall, Bergen CASA began to implement the PC model which allows our veteran advocates the opportunity to train and become coaches of newly trained volunteers.
(Pictured front to back and left to right):
Theresa Drennan, Lynn Consovoy, Laura Slott, Rachel Sauer, Jodi Brover,
Sue Howard, Patty Rafferty, and Jennifer Tsonas
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Are you interested in becoming an advocate or know someone who would like more information?
Our next Information Sessions:
August 24th
@ 10am or 5:30pm
Fall Evening Training:
9/19, 9/22, 9/29,
10/6 , 10/13, 10/20, & 10/27
from 5:30pm-9pm
Call 201-336-7520,
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