CASA awarded Millennium Circle Foundation grant

On Tuesday of this week, CASA of Luzerne County’s executive director, John Aciukewicz, spoke to The Luzerne Foundation and its Millennium Circle members about the need for CASA in our community. He shared the heartbreaking story of the horrific abuse endured by a young local child and how the dedication of her volunteer advocate is changing her story.

“For the first time, there is an adult in her life who can look her in the eyes and say, ‘this should never have happened to you, this was not your fault, and I am going to do my best so that this does not happen to you again,’” John said.

The generosity of The Luzerne Foundation and The Millennium Circle means that CASA can continue its mission to provide a Court Appointed Special Advocate to every abused and neglected child in foster care in Luzerne County.

CASA is a 501(c)3 non-profit child advocacy organization. We do not receive any County, State, or Federal tax dollars to support our program. We rely upon generous donors like the Luzerne Foundation and its Millenium Circle members as we seek to provide more children in Luzerne County with a court appointed special advocate and ensure their right to a safe and permanent as soon as possible.

Below is the announcement from The Luzerne Foundation and the video of John’s presentation.

Thank you to all who support our cause and share our belief that a healthy community starts with children who are safe, protected, and loved.

Remembering Mary Louise Faber

Mary Louise Faber and her husband Eb have been instrumental to the success of CASA of Luzerne County — Eb as a founding board member and Mary Louise as one of CASA’s first volunteer advocates.

Sadly, Mary Louise passed away on Friday, October 11 at her home in Bear Creek. Her obituary can be found here.

In April 2018, we honored Eb and Mary Louise with our inaugural Service Achievement Award during our first NEPA Sings event.

In the program for that event, we featured a biography on Eb and Mary Louise which we’d like to share with you in her honor. The text is below.

CASA of Luzerne County will forever be grateful to both Eb and Mary Louise for their kindness, generosity, and dedication to the children of Luzerne County, even in the wake of Mary Louise’s passing.

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Since CASA’s inception in 2013, Eb and Mary Louise Faber have been an essential force in helping CASA of Luzerne County fulfill its mission to provide a voice for every Luzerne County child in foster care. Currently there are 424 such children.

Eb was a founding member of the CASA of Luzerne County Board of Directors. He has served with distinction for the past five years. Mary Louise responded to the CASA call by becoming one of our first volunteer advocates. She has been a tireless advocate for children. Both Eb and Mary Louise have generously supported CASA with their time, talent, and resources.

When recalling her time as an advocate, Eb called Mary Louise “the perfect volunteer.”

Though if you ask her, she would disagree.

“I just like fighting for the underdog,” she said.

Mary Louise was born in Baltimore attended both Vassar and Goucher College and graduated from the University of Baltimore School of Law. Her career as a successful domestic affairs lawyer made her “perfectly fitted for CASA,” according to Eb.

“It was exhausting and wonderful,” Mary Louise said of her time as an advocate. “I wish I could do it again. I really do.”

Eb was born in Manhattan, attended Milton Academy in Massachusetts, and graduated from Princeton University where he served as Chairman of The Daily Princetonian. He was the first person in the University’s history to graduate both Phi Beta Kappa and magna cum laude. He then became a Fulbright Scholar and teaching fellow at the University of Caen in France. He studied French literature and became the youngest Fulbright Professor ever, teaching English and American literature at the University of Cologne. Eb also served in the army before taking on the role of CEO at his family’s company, Eberhard Faber, Inc.

Eb served as Chairman of the Board at King’s College, Citizen’s Voice Newspaper, First Eastern Bank. He was a Director at W.P. Carey, Inc., the Federal Reserve Bank of Philadelphia, and the Northeast Pennsylvania Advisory Board. He is an Emeritus Director of PNC Bank, N.A. Eb currently serves as a Director at King’s College and Geisinger Wyoming Valley Hospital. He also served six terms on the Bear Creek Village Council. In addition to all of these accomplishments, Eb has served on CASA of Luzerne County’s Board of Directors since 2013.

Eb and Mary Louise have been married for 40 years and, between them, have six children, 10 grandchildren, and two great grandchildren.

Eb is also an accomplished singer, having performed at more than 35 weddings.

We at CASA of Luzerne County are thankful for the hard work and dedication of Eberhard and Mary Louise Faber and are proud to honor them for their commitment to CASA and to the children of Luzerne County.