Voices for Children Montgomery
1010 Grandin Avenue, Suite B-3
Rockville, MD 20851
Phone: 301.340.7458
Fax:301.686.8574
Email: mail@casamontgomery.org
IN THIS NEWSLETTER: Volunteer Spotlight | Upcoming Pre-Service Training | Volunteer Anniversaries | Donors Making a Difference | Volunteers Needed
Pre-Service Training For Prospective Volunteers Starts January 9, 2021! 
*Training will be online

A CHILD IS WAITING

Harrison is a 14-year-old boy who came into the foster care system at the age of two after suffering a traumatic brain injury because of physical abuse. Until recently, Harrison had remained in the same foster home as his two older siblings, who were adopted by their foster mother years ago. Unfortunately,
while his foster mother has been very committed to Harrison, she was unable to adopt him as well because she felt she needed the support of the child welfare system to meet his complex and challenging needs due to his injury. Sadly, as Harrison has gotten older, he has begun to exhibit additional behaviors that resulted in his placement in a residential treatment center. While his foster mother remains an active support in his life, she is unable to take him back into her home. Harrison is in need of a CASA volunteer who can be a consistent presence in his life and who can help ensure that all his complex needs are being met.
JOIN US FOR GIVING DAY 2020
December 1, 2020



Tomorrow is #GivingTuesday, a global giving movement that celebrates all kinds of giving. This year, you can have a local impact with a #GivingTuesday donation to Voices for Children Montgomery’s campaign to provide A Voice for Every Child in foster care by 2026! Voices for Children Montgomery’s Board of Directors has committed to matching community donations dollar-to-dollar up to $25,000!!
Volunteer Spotlights Winter 2020
Marlene Beckman is a CASA for 17-year-old Annie*. Marlene has been working with Annie since
March 2019, and during this time, Annie resided in a residential treatment center before transitioning to a foster home then a group home. Marlene has felt strongly that Annie could benefit from having a mentor who could remain committed and who could dedicate their time to working with Annie as she moved from placement to placement and navigated the changes that came with this. At the most recent court
hearing, it was ordered, at Marlene’s recommendation, that a mentor be assigned. Annie is now living at
home with her mother and siblings and has been working with a mentor for a few months. Annie and her
mother have both said that they are very grateful to have the mentor, as Annie finishes high school and
prepares for her case to close, as the mentor can remain a support in their lives.
Alicia Marsh has worked with 13-year-old *Mary for the last six months. Mary has been in care since
May 2019, due to her mother’s substance abuse and criminal charges causing her mother to serve time in jail. Mary has lived with a family member during her time in care and her permanency plan is adoption with that family member. In the fall, Alicia began talking with Mary’s school and found out that Mary was not doing her homework. Alicia followed up with the family member who was overwhelmed with having
several school-age children in the home taking online classes. In Alicia’s conversations with the school, she discovered that school staff had been trying to reach the family member, but the family member wasn’t responding. Alicia determined that the school was trying to reach the family member with a phone number no longer used. Alicia encouraged the school to reach out to the family member on her cell phone, and they connected soon after. In October, the school, social worker, and family member met to discuss how to best support Mary and her schoolwork going forward.
*Names changed and photos are not of CASA children
Next Pre-Service Training Session for Prospective Volunteer
Winter 2020
Saturday
Monday
Wednesday
Friday
Tuesday
Thursday
Monday

1/9/2021
1/11/2021
1/13/2021
1/15/2021
1/19/2021
1/21/2021
1/25/2021

9:00 AM to 4:30 PM
6:00 PM to 9:30 PM
6:00 PM to 9:30 PM
9:00 AM to 4:00 PM
6:00 PM to 9:30 PM
6:00 PM to 9:30 PM
6:00 PM to 9:30 PM

 
Volunteer Anniversaries
Special Anniversaries
Paul Sorlie- 24 years
Leslie Greenberg- 13 years
Jacquelynn Wozniak- 11 years
Jill Granader- 10 years
Dayna Goldsmith- 10 years
Ivory Sabrina- 8 years
Barbara Fribush- 7 years

5 Years
Fran Albert
Andrea Cali
Michele Carpenter
Alicia Marsh
Newton-King Stablein
3 Years
Karen Pinkston

2 Years
Andrew Finley
Heather Kasper
Fitz Morrison
Mark Schiponi 

1 Year
Gloria Peterson-Ayigah
Marlyne Emmanuel
Michele Isaacson
Aileen Moodie
Savannah Sweeny
Claire Whiteman
Heidi Zia
Donors Making A Difference
Be the Court Appointed Special Advocate (CASA) volunteer that every child in Montgomery County, Maryland’s foster care system needs.
CASA depends upon donations from people like you to continue its work. Make a donation today to help us reach our goal of serving ALL the children in foster care in Montgomery County by 2026.