Neighbor News
15 Locals Sworn In as Court Appointed Special Advocates
Trained volunteer advocates will speak for best interests of children in Chester and Delaware Counties
CASA Youth Advocates, Inc. held a virtual swearing-in ceremony at the end of March to welcome 15 new volunteers. CASA works to ensure that children in Delaware and Chester counties’ child welfare systems live well, achieve academic excellence, and experience the joys of childhood by providing them with trained volunteer advocates who speak for their best interests. The ceremony, which finalized the certification of the new volunteer advocates, was administered by Delaware County Dependency Court Judge Rick Lowe.
New volunteers include:
- Diana Capriotti, Ambler
- Gretchen Demarest, Coatesville
- John Ettore, Coatesville
- Joe Farrell, Chadds Ford
- Laura Gribben, Phoenixville
- Marion Hanuschek, Wynnewood
- Jennie Jacobson, Bryn Mawr
- Sofia Kochiashvili, Phoenixville
- Caren Levin, Chestnut Hill
- Mike Matte, Downingtown
- Marsha Peterson, Media
- Angela Pipitone, Aston
- Roxiann Sirna, Downingtown
- Stephanie Sofer, Chester Springs
- Aparna Thornton, Glen Mills
CASA volunteers complete 35 hours of training over the course of two to three weeks. After taking an oath, they become eligible to review and monitor the case of a child or youth experiencing abuse or neglect. Volunteers are assigned to a child to walk alongside them through the child welfare process. Volunteers build trust, investigate the child’s case, and observe, analyze, and advocate for what is best for the child, through written reports and verbal recommendations to the judge. This makes for a rewarding experience for both the child and volunteer.
Find out what's happening in Mediafor free with the latest updates from Patch.
CASA is actively seeking new volunteers in anticipation of a potential increase in child welfare cases due to the Covid-19 coronavirus pandemic. For more information about becoming a volunteer with CASA Youth Advocates, Inc., please visit https://www.delcocasa.org/make-a-difference.
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Find out what's happening in Mediafor free with the latest updates from Patch.
CASA Youth Advocates, Inc., works to ensure that each child in Delaware and Chester counties’ child welfare systems lives well, achieves academic excellence, and experiences the joys of childhood by providing them with trained volunteer advocates who speak for their best interests with support and guidance from CASA’s professional staff of social workers and attorneys. CASA has been serving Delaware County’s children since 1992 and expanded its services to Chester County’s children in 2015.
CASA Youth Advocates of Delaware and Chester Counties does not discriminate against volunteer applicants on the basis of race, color, creed, religion, national origin, gender, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, marital status, veteran's status, genetic predisposition or carrier status, or disability, except where the disability would prevent the performance of the essential requirements of the job with or without a reasonable accommodation.