Educators Make Great CASA Volunteers!

A Court Appointed Special Advocate (CASA) volunteer is a consistent, caring adult who advocates for the best interests
of a child in foster care.

As a teacher, school staff member, or school retiree, you already have experience advocating for children. As a CASA volunteer, you can take that to a new level by advocating for a child in foster care, helping ensure their voice is heard in court, where it needs to be heard most.

Meet Christine, Ann, Lauren
and Jaclyn, four teachers
who became CASA volunteers:

September 2026

Thursdays, September 24 at 10am and 5:30pm Wayne office

plus

Thursday, September 24, 10am, Mountainside Library

October 2026

Mondays, October 5, 19 & 26, 10am, Wayne office
Thursdays, October 8, 15, 22 & 29, 10am, Wayne office

plus

Thursday, October 8, 10am, Clark Library
Thursday, October 15, 10am, Mountainside Library
Thursday, October 22, 10am, Westfield Colleen Fraser
Thursday, October 29, 10am, Linden Library

Take the next step:
Register for an in-person Information Session

The Wayne office is at 415 Hamburg Turnpike, Suite D2, Wayne. The Elizabeth office is at 1143 East Jersey Street, 2nd Floor, Elizabeth.

When you successfully register for an Info Session, you will receive a confirmation email with directions and parking instructions.

See you soon!

Spread The Word:

Invite us to your school!
We’d love the opportunity to present an Information Session to you and your colleagues! To arrange an in-school Info Session, email sara@casapassaicunion.org

Need a Flyer? We’ve got that covered! We are here to help.

CASA volunteers change lives.

Court Appointed Special Advocate (CASA) volunteers advocate for the best interests of abused and neglected children in the foster care system.

CASA volunteers make a difference.

CASA volunteers are appointed by the Family Court Judge to advocate for the best interests of abused and neglected children. The primary responsibilities of a CASA volunteer are:

  • Visit the child: Maintain a consistent visiting schedule with the child, a minimum of once monthly.

  • Gather information: Review documents and records, and interview the children, family members, and
    case professionals in their lives.

  • Court reports: Provide written reports to the court in preparation for all court proceedings.

  • Attend court: Advocate for the child’s best interests.

  • “Be the Safety Net”: Seek cooperative solutions among individuals and organizations in the children’s lives.

  • Recommend services: Ensure the children are receiving appropriate services by keeping involved parties informed of any needs not currently being addressed. Bring concerns about the child’s health, education, mental health, placement, and visitation to the court’s immediate attention.

  • Monitor case plans and court orders: Assist the court by reporting any deviation court orders.

Requirements

  • All CASA volunteers must be fluent in spoken and written English. CASA volunteers who are English/Spanish bilingual are especially needed.

  • CASA volunteers must be 21 years of age or older.

  • CASA volunteers must have lived in the United States for at least 5 years.

  • CASA volunteers must be able to drive and have access to reliable personal transportation.

  • Volunteers must complete the entire 36-hour training program, comprehensive background checks, and application process.

Attending an information session is the first step toward advocating for a child in foster care. Register for one today!

Attend a no-commitment information session to learn about the role and responsibilities of a
Court Appointed Special Advocate volunteer: speaking up for children in foster care.

You will have the opportunity to ask questions and learn about the application and training process.

CASA volunteers serve children removed from homes throughout Passaic County and Union County, including Bloomingdale, Clifton, Haledon, Hawthorne, North Haledon, Little Falls, Passaic, Paterson, Pompton Lakes, Prospect Park, Ringwood, Totowa, Wanaque, Wayne, West Milford, and Woodland Park in Passaic County; and Berkeley Heights, Clark, Cranford, Elizabeth, Fanwood, Garwood, Hillside, Kenilworth, Linden, Mountainside, New Providence, Plainfield, Rahway, Roselle, Roselle Park, Scotch Plains, Springfield, Summit, Union, Westfield, and Winfield Township in Union County. If you are looking for a life-changing volunteer opportunity, becoming a CASA volunteer with CASA of Passaic and Union Counties may be a great option. Please note: You do not need to live in Passaic County or Union County to become a CASA volunteer with CASA of Passaic and Union Counties. We have many CASA volunteers who live in Bergen County, Essex County, Hudson County, Middlesex County, Morris County, Somerset County, and Sussex County.