A few weeks ago, CASA of Luzerne County gratefully welcomed 14 new advocates into its program: Samantha Comes, Elizabeth Cope, Diane Dreier, Jeff Dreier, Sharon Generotti, Maureen Harkins, Maryann Kane, Michelle Kozich, Ned McGuire, Beatriz Rivera, Carol Robbins, Julie Schmidt, Daniel Spring, and Pam Urbanski.
These are 14 members of our community – our neighbors, coworkers, and friends – who have made the decision to speak up for the most vulnerable children in our midst.
There are currently 460 children in Luzerne County who have been removed from their homes because they’ve been abused or neglected. These are children whose homes have been deemed unsafe, their caregivers unfit, and their well-being in jeopardy. These children need someone to walk beside them and help bring them to a place of safety, happiness, and permanency.
Our new group of volunteers have made the important decision to do just that.
After completing eight weeks of training, observing courtroom visits, and thorough background checks, our spring 2019 class was sworn-in by Judge Jennifer Rogers and officially embarked on the next phase of their journey – court appointed special advocate.
The commitment of these 14 new advocates will allow our program to serve anywhere from 14-20 additional children who need a voice, bringing us ever closer to our goal of speaking up for every single child in the Luzerne County foster care system.
While our most recent advocates are preparing to take their first cases, our staff is gearing up for our upcoming fall training class. Our first night of training begins on Wednesday, September 25. If you’d like to join the ranks of our elite volunteers who are championing the needs of Luzerne County’s children, please reach out.
We’re hosting info sessions throughout the next few months, which is the first step on this exciting journey.
Click here to see a list of available dates and to pick the info session that works best for you.