The Mercer Vicinage, in conjunction with the New Jersey Division of Child Protection and Permanency and the Court Appointed Special Advocated of Mercer County (CASA), will host its 10th annual Adoption Day Program on Friday, Nov. 17.

The program will begin with adoption proceedings in the ceremonial courtroom at 400 S. Warren Street, Trenton. Assignment Judge Mary C. Jacobson will begin the proceedings followed by Judge Wayne J. Forrest, who will also hear adoptions.

The late Douglas Michael Pine, adoption attorney and former state trustee of CASA, will be honored for his tireless work with Mercer County youth, and Judge Audrey P. Blackburn will be recognized for her judicial service. Judge Blackburn will then hear the final adoptions of the day. After the proceedings, adopting families and their children will enjoy a breakfast buffet and receive complementary family portraits by Main Event.

The celebration will continue at 2 p.m. at Team 85 Fitness and Wellness, 8500 K. Johnson Boulevard, Bordentown. Adopting families and their children will enjoy afternoon snacks and activities provided by Trenton Thunder, One Simple Wish, New Jersey Adoption Resource Clearing House, the Mercer County Bar Association and Team 85. The Rev. Darrell Armstrong of Shiloh Baptist Church will participate.

National Adoption Day is an annual event in which courts and communities in all 50 states come together to finalize thousands of adoptions. The event seeks to raise awareness of the importance of adoption and to recognize caregivers who have chosen to open their homes to children in need.

# # #

Although adoption proceedings are closed to the public, arrangements will be made for reporters to interview willing families after their proceedings conclude. Contact Bernadette Ernst at 609-571-4434 for more information.

PDF

The Burlington Vicinage will celebrate its 11th Adoption Day on Friday, Nov. 17 at 8:45 a.m. on the sixth floor of the Courts Facility, 49 Rancocas Road, Mount Holly.

“This is a memorable day in the courthouse for all those participating in this event,” said Assignment Judge Ronald E. Bookbinder. “We hope the program will encourage others to help children become part of loving, permanent families.”

Adoptions will be finalized for 10 children. Judges Mark P. Tarantino and Gerard H. Breland will preside over the proceedings. A luncheon for the children and their families will be held at 11 a.m. at the Funplex, 3320 Route 38, Mount Laurel. The celebration will open with comments from Judge Bookbinder and Family Presiding Judge Richard J. Nocella. Judge Tarantino also will address the attendees. The luncheon will include families whose adoptions were finalized throughout the year.

The vicinage’s Adoption Day program is co-hosted by the New Jersey Division of Child Protection and Permanency, the Court Appointed Special Advocates program, and the Burlington County Surrogate’s Office. The Burlington County Bar Foundation provided toy bears for the children. Adoption Ops, Foster and Adoptive Families Services, and the Linus Project assisted with the program.

National Adoption Day is an annual event that celebrates families who choose to adopt, while raising public awareness of the need for adoptive homes. If interested in becoming a licensed foster/adoptive parent, call 1-877-NJFOSTER.

###

Though adoption hearings are closed to the public, arrangements can be made for reporters to interview willing families after the proceedings. Contact Donna Mazzanti at 609-288-9500, ext. 38124 for additional information.

PDF

Mount Holly, NJ—On Wednesday, August 9, 2017, Court Appointed Special Advocates (CASA) for Children in Mercer and Burlington Counties Staff gathered to accept a grant of $20,000 from Beneficial Bank Foundation of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. CASA is the only organization that works directly with children from each county who have been abused and neglected and taken away from their families to ensure their safety.

Roseann Vanella, Board President, and Katherine Carmichael, Executive Director of CASA for Children of Mercer and Burlington Counties accepted the first of two grant payments which total $20,000 from Merle A. Brown, Vice President, Director of Corporate Giving and Financial Literacy with the Beneficial Bank Foundation and LuAnn Yansick, Assistant Vice President, Branch Manager, Beneficial Bank, Edgewater Park, to fund a two year resource program in Burlington County on behalf of abused and neglected children.

“This grant is essential to maintaining the safety and well-being of the 150 children we currently serve in Burlington County, and will help us to grow this number,” said Roseann Vanella, Board President of CASA for Children of Mercer and Burlington Counties. “Judges assign our advocates their most serious cases with children who have been removed from their homes because of abuse and neglect. This grant from the Beneficial Bank Foundation enables our staff and advocates to directly assist these local families in crisis. We are so grateful for their generosity.” With 743 children waiting for a CASA volunteer in Burlington County alone, CASA is focused on growing the frequency and number of training classes in 2017, and well into the future to have a CASA volunteer for each child who is in foster care. There are currently 258 active CASA volunteers assisting approximately 352 children in out-of-home placement in both Burlington and Mercer Counties.

CASA volunteers are trusted adults empowered to ensure that each child is well cared for and able to find a safe permanent home. CASA volunteers are unique judicial volunteers appointed by a judge. They attend court hearings with the child and report their findings to the judge. “It is traumatic for these children to leave their families and then have to adjust to new foster homes, new schools, new neighborhoods and often new towns,” stated
Katherine Carmichael. “CASA ensures these children do not fall through the cracks of the overburdened court and child protective systems.”

There are no prerequisites for becoming a CASA volunteer other than a desire to help children in need, being at least 21 years of age, clearing an extensive background screening and successfully completing 30 hours of training. CASA for Children of Mercer and Burlington Counties invites interested adults to learn more by attending a brief information session. Details can be found at www.casamb.org. CASA for Children of Mercer and Burlington Counties is a member of the National CASA Association, a network of more than 900 CASA programs serving children in 49 states and Washington DC.

PDF

Mount Holly, NJ—On Thursday, June 22, 2017, the Hon. Mark P. Tarantino swore in ten volunteers as court-appointed special advocates to stand up on behalf of abused and neglected children.

Family and friends gathered in the Burlington County Courthouse to watch the volunteers take an oath promising to advocate for the best interest of the child; including Roseann Vanella, Board President, CASA for Children of Mercer and Burlington Counties.

The newly appointed CASA volunteers bring the total number to 80 dedicated community members who have been trained and are advocating for foster children in Burlington County’s juvenile dependency court system. Also noteworthy among the newly sworn in CASA volunteers, was Gregory Grimaldi of Marlton, who served as a CASA board member since September 2016 and trained to become a CASA volunteer. There are currently 230 active CASA volunteers in both Burlington and Mercer Counties.

As officers of the court, CASA volunteers ensure that the children’s needs are recognized and best interests are considered both in the courtroom and in the community. They meet with the child regularly and are authorized to interview people in the child’s life such as social workers, attorneys, and teachers. They attend court hearings with the child and report their findings to the judge. “Our volunteers pledge to stay with each child until the case is closed, and the child is placed in a safe, permanent home,” said Katherine Carmichael, executive director of the CASA for Children of Mercer and Burlington Counties. “The advocate is often the only consistent adult presence in the child’s life.”

With more than 200 children waiting for a CASA volunteer in Burlington County alone, many more advocates are still needed. There are no prerequisites for becoming a CASA volunteer other than being at least 21 years of age, clearing an extensive background screening and successfully completing 30 hours of training.

The next advocate training session for CASA for Children of Mercer and Burlington Counties begins August 7th, 2017. If you are interested in learning more about becoming a CASA volunteer and the rewards that come along with serving as the voice of a child, please contact Harry Cassidy, Burlington County, 609-265-2222 or Jill Duffy, Mercer County, 609-434-0050.

The CASA for Children of Mercer and Burlington Counties is a member of the National CASA Association, a network of more than 900 CASA programs serving children in 49 states and Washington DC.

PDF