IN THIS NEWSLETTER: Welcome New Board Members | Child Abuse Prevention Month | National Volunteer Week | Upcoming Events | Volunteer Spotlights | Upcoming Pre-Service Training | Volunteer Anniversaries | Donors Making a Difference

Please welcome four new members of the VFCM Board of Directors, elected at the Board's March meeting! Our newest Board members bring diverse backgrounds and experience to our organization and we are delighted that they want to contribute their talents to helping VFCM achieve its mission and goals!

April is National Child Abuse Prevention Month. Each year, nearly 408,000 children in the United States experience abuse or neglect, ushering them into the dependency court and foster care systems. A child in foster care, on average, will move into multiple homes and attend multiple schools. All this chaos and inconsistency has long-term effects. As a result, some children may have been increasingly exposed to child abuse and neglect, parental intimate partner violence at home, and sexual violence. 

Make a donation to Voices for Children Montgomery during the month of April and your name will be listed under one of our pinwheels.

Celebrated on April 17-23, National Volunteer Week, provides an opportunity for Voices for Children Montgomery to honor and thank CASA volunteers who work hard to ensure children and youth, who have been placed in foster care as a result of experiencing abuse or neglect, have their voices heard every day.  

• April 20, 2022, 6:00pm-7:30pm, Department of Juvenile Services (DJS) cases and crossover with foster youth
• April 28, 2022, 6:00pm-7:30pm, CASA Connections
• June 25, 2022 , 9:00am-4:30pm, Summer Volunteer Pre-Service Training Begins
• September 17, 2022, 9:00am-4:30pm, Fall Volunteer Pre-Service Training Begins

Joanna Salzman is the CASA for 18-year-old Greg*. Greg is currently placed in a residential treatment center and is finishing the 11th grade. Greg does not have much family involvement and most of his connections are with adults related to his current child welfare case. Greg is very vocal about wanting to reconnect with his biological family, feeling like his needs are not being heard, and wanting to be more involved in the conversations about his future. Since being assigned to Greg’s case in late 2021, Joanna has been advocating to the Child Welfare and the Court about making sure that Greg is included and understands the decisions that are being made for his future. For the first time in a long time, Greg is finally feeling heard thanks to Ms. Salzman’s advocacy.

Mercy Griffith is the CASA for 6-year-old Amelia*.  Amelia, like many other children in foster care, has experienced a lot of loss and trauma as a result of being removed from her parents’ care. This school year, Amelia began kindergarten and was exhibiting some behaviors in school that were of concern. Mercy was able to advocate and assist the social worker and school system with getting Amelia placed in a new school with a social emotional program that could better accommodate Amelia’s needs. Amelia is now enjoying school and her teachers have expressed that she is doing well and progressing with her learning. 

*Names changed and photos are not of CASA children

Thank you to each of the following individuals for your years of service and dedication to your CASA youth. Happy Anniversary!

*Donations received from 1/15/2022 to 4/08/2022

Thank you to everyone who made a donation! Your generosity is the reason we are able to continue to help children in foster care in Montgomery County. We could not do this work without YOU!!

Voices for Children Montgomery is a private, 501(c)(3) nonprofit corporation and receives partial funding from the Montgomery County Dept. of Health and Human Services and the Administrative Office of the Courts Dept. of Juvenile and Family Services.