Member Spotlight – January 2020

The vision of CASA of NJ is that all children of New Jersey who have been removed from their families because of abuse or neglect are served by a qualified, well-trained Court Appointed Special Advocate.

CASA is a national organization, and CASA of NJ was formed in 1985 as a non-profit serving every county in the State.  CASA of NJ operates out of 14 physical office locations.

Individuals from every community in the State of New Jersey that have a “heart for children.”  We recruit volunteers 21 years and over who are open to committing their time and support to children that have been removed from their homes due to abuse or neglect.

We are the only program of its kind in the State of New Jersey that recruits, trains and supports individuals from the community to be advocates for children in the foster care system.

We are actively looking for volunteers 21 years of age and over with the time and flexibility to visit and support children in foster care and to advocate for them in Family Court.

We are new members!  We recently joined the Chamber because we were attracted to its mission.

There are approximately 175,000 youth age 10-18 in foster care in the United States.  An estimated 5 to 10 percent of this population – and likely more – are lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, or questioning.

Like all young people, LGBTQ youth in foster care need the support of a nurturing family to help them negotiate adolescence and grow into healthy adults.  However, LGBTQ youth in foster care face additional challenges.  Despite these challenges, LGBTQ youth – like all youth in the child welfare system – can heal and thrive when families commit to accepting, loving, and supporting them as they grow into their potential as adults.  All youth in care need nurturing homes that provide them with a safe place to process their feelings of grief and loss, freedom to express who they are, and structure to support them in becoming responsibility, healthy adults.  Creating a welcoming foster home for LGBTQ youth is not much different from creating a safe and supportive home for any youth.