Volunteers Sworn in as Advocates for Abused and Neglected Children

[Morristown, NJ] November 2, 2015--- A new group of community volunteers were recently sworn in as a Court Appointed Special Advocates (CASA) by The Honorable Catherine I. Enright, Presiding Family Court Judge of the Morris/Sussex Vicinage. CASA of Morris and Sussex Counties, a local non-profit organization, trains and supervises community volunteers to advocate for the best interests of children who have been removed from their homes due to abuse, neglect or abandonment.

The new volunteers have made the extraordinary commitment to “speak up” for these vulnerable children in court and to ensure that they receive the medical and educational resources they need to thrive, and most importantly that they find permanent, safe and nurturing homes in a timely manner.

The ceremony was held at the Morris County Courthouse in Morristown. The new volunteers sworn in included Jennifer Chrzanowski (Short Hills), Lisa Demizio (Millington), Catherine DiDonato (Gillette), Desiree Ellerthorpe (Morristown), Jhonattan Gonzalez (North Plainfield), Robert Jones (Short Hills), Roisin Kelly (Hackettstown), Melissa Kobylinski (Rockaway), Tod Matchett (Boonton), Susan Maya (Madison), Diane Penola (Kinnelon), Mercedes Pierre (Randolph), Edsel Robinson (Lake Hopatcong), Gwynne Safier (Randolph), Megan Safer (Morristown) and Donna Stone (North Caldwell).

CASA volunteer advocates participate in an extensive training program before officially being sworn in to be assigned to a child in the foster care system. “These volunteers are the heart and soul of our organization. They give their time, energy and passion to bring better tomorrows to vulnerable children. I want to thank our new group of volunteers for taking on this tremendous task. I applaud them for their dedication,” said Dr. Lisa Firkser, Executive Director of CASA.

About CASA of Morris and Sussex Counties

CASA of Morris and Sussex Counties is part of a statewide network of community-based, non-profit programs that recruit, screen, train, and supervise volunteers to “Speak Up for a Child.” These children have been removed from their homes due to abuse or neglect. CASA is the only program in New Jersey that uses trained volunteers to work one‐on‐one with children, ensuring that each one gets the services needed and achieves permanency in a safe, nurturing home. Visit www.casamsc.org or call

973-998-7590 for more information about CASA of Morris and Sussex Counties.