The following stories demonstrate how CASAs saved the State of New Jersey over $3.9 million with these particular cases. While the identifying information has been changed, the heart of the stories and cost savings are true.

Being a CASA volunteer has an array of benefits - personal, community-based and even financial-based from a community/state standpoint.

Michael grew up in foster care. He had been removed from his parents at age 4 because his father threw him against a wall. There had been a long history of violence in the home, and Michael was one of its victims.

Two young siblings were struggling with reading, and their CASA volunteer, Diane, recognized that they needed help strengthening those skills. She took the initiative to try and get them assistance.

Lisa, a CASA advocate, was newly assigned to a case with two children who had been removed from their mother because of drug and alcohol issues. The court’s plan was to place the children with their father, with whom they had not lived since they were very young. The children expressed great fear about this move – they didn’t know their father and he had not been a part of their lives for some time.

Ashley had a myriad of problems, including a history of running, poor school attendance, substance abuse problems, and emotional and behavioral issues. Annie was assigned to her as a CASA advocate and began visiting Ashley regularly. As they talked, Ashley expressed a desire to be a nurse. Annie thought about how she could best help Ashley make this dream come true.

Close your eyes, picture yourself as a fifteen year old girl ripped away from the only life you’ve ever known. Allow yourself to feel the emotions of this tragedy. Hard to even imagine isn’t it? It is a harsh reality and this nightmare was mine. The predicament I was in, which I had no control over brought me to CASA, a silver lining in an otherwise dark story.

Najera is a child who was served by a CASA SHaW advocate.
She has given us permission to print her poems in the hope that another child in a similar situation will not feel so alone.