Scotch Plains Names ‘CASA Day’

SCOTCH PLAINS, NJ — The Scotch Plains Mayor and Council declared Tuesday, Dec. 12, as Court Appointed Special Advocates (CASA) of Union County Day during a town hall ceremony this week.

Mayor Al Smith presented CASA’s Executive Director Marla Higginbotham with a proclamation declaring the day and their support of the organization’s work.

There are 12 Scotch Plains residents currently serving as volunteer advocates and ambassadors, and several including including Carmen Ayala, Jennifer Brady, Sheri Glover-Flanagan, Linda Jenkins-Davis, GeraldineKeogh, who also serves on the board of directors, Laurie Rando and Christie Rothenberg attended to show their support of the dedication.

CASA of Union County recruits, trains, supervises and supports community volunteers to advocate for abused, neglected and abandoned children placed in foster homes or residential facilities. There are nearly 600 Union County children, from birth to age 21, in foster care, and the nonprofit advocates for half of these youth.

Volunteers ensure children’s best interests remain the priority while working toward establishing a safe, stable and permanent home for each child. The organization’s goal is to provide a CASA volunteer for every foster youth.

“We are so grateful to Mayor Smith and the town council for recognizing not only the crucial work of CASA advocates for Union County’s foster youth, but for seeing the bigger picture: every one of our communities has children removed from home and placed in foster care through no fault of their own, and every community has the power to stand up," said Higginbotham. "If each of the 21 towns in Union County represented like Scotch Plains — which right now has 12 residents advocating for foster youth
just imagine what could be accomplished! Being a CASA volunteer, serving as extra eyes and ears for the judge, is meaningful, powerful and life-changing on both sides.”

For details on training classes in the new year or for other ways to help CASA reach every foster youth, contact Courtney at cgreen@casaofunioncounty.org or 908-293-8136.

(Image via CASA: Mayor Al Smith reading the CASA Day proclamation as CASA officials look on; from left, Executive Director Marla Higginbotham, Board President Jennifer Mutch, and board members Geraldine Keogh and Ron Silver. Several Scotch Plains residents currently serving as CASA volunteers also attended to show their support.)

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