MORRIS COUNTY – On Friday, December 8, a gathering of community volunteers witnessed their swearing-in ceremony as Court Appointed Special Advocates by Superior Court Judge Michael Paul Wright in Morristown.
Court Appointed Special Advocates (CASA) of Morris and Sussex counties, a local non-profit organization, provide training and supervision for these dedicated community volunteers, enabling them to advocate on behalf of children who have been removed from their homes due to abuse, neglect, or abandonment.
Family and friends assembled at the Morris County Courthouse to witness these volunteers taking an oath, pledging their commitment to champion the best interests of the child and fulfill their responsibilities as judicial volunteers.
The new volunteers include Carolyn Asch of Jersey City, Laura Evans-Harty of Kinnelon, James Hubertus of Short Hills, Teresa LeDonne of Mine Hill Township, Kathleen McCarthy of Morristown, Vanessa Patterson of Morristown, Jeanette Schneider of Newfoundland, Raquel Tumminelli of Randolph, Helen Vera of Short Hills, Kelly Volpi of Flanders, and Theresa Wisolmerski of Rockaway.
The CASA volunteers participated in an extensive 36-hour training program before officially being sworn in to be assigned to a child in the foster care system. The CASA Volunteers will also attend regularly scheduled training workshops to strengthen their advocacy efforts throughout their time with CASA.
CASA volunteers visit with the child regularly, attend court hearings, and school meetings, and meet with all parties involved in the child’s case. The volunteers report their findings to the court and make recommendations for the child’s best interest.
Click here or call (973) 998-7590 for more information about CASA of Morris and Sussex Counties.
