CASA swears in volunteers

MORRISTOWN — Lake Hopatcong resident Jeanette Van Leuven was recently sworn in as a Court Appointed Special Advocates by Catherine I. Enright, presiding family court judge of the Morris/Sussex Vicinage, at the Morris County Courthouse in Morristown.

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 and neglect. The new volunteers have made the extraordinary commitment to “speak up” for these vulnerable children in court and to advocate for them until they reach a permanent home.

Additional volunteers sworn in that day included Liz Davidoff, Jamie Ehrenkranz, Judy Stein- Lowenthal (Morristown), Gail Mattia and Eva Szumzer (Madison), Diane Herrera (Mt. Tabor), Penni Nafus (Peapack), Jane Moskowitz (Hackettstown), Anthony Rutigliano ( Randolph), Joyce Schader (Whippany).

CASA volunteer advocates participate in an extensive 36 hour training program before officially being sworn in to be assigned to a child in the foster care system. Before the swearing-in ceremony, volunteers and their guests gathered at the CASA office in Morristown for a welcome reception.

“CASA Volunteers give their time, energy and passion to bring better tomorrows to vulnerable children," said Executive Director Lisa Firkser. "I want to thank our new group of volunteers for taking on this tremendous task. I applaud them for their dedication."