Here at our CASA SHaW program, we have a number of CASA volunteers who have been with our program for well over a decade. They have been the eyes and ears on their case(s) and have made an incredible difference in the lives of the children they have served. This is Part 2 of our "Why" series, as we talk to these amazing individuals and dive into their "why." Why they have stayed with CASA so long, and what their volunteerism has meant to them. Our incredible CASA volunteers, Lynn Kinkel and Nan Frankel, joined us this week to tell their stories.

Here at our CASA SHaW program, we have a number of CASA volunteers who have been with our program for well over a decade. They have been the eyes and ears on their case(s) and have made an incredible difference in the lives of the children they have served. As part of our "Why" series, we're diving into their "why." Why they have stayed with CASA so long, and what their volunteerism has meant to them. Our amazing CASA volunteer, Joel Dorfman, talked about his why in this episode.

The one thing individuals in the social work world have is compassion. Compassion for those who are less fortunate within our local communities. We want to help, and many do their all to bring positivity to others. However, how should we handle and feel when the resulting burnout arises? This episode dives into these subject matters for our CASA volunteers and all individuals in our communities.

On this episode, Tracey and Jeff discussed their own personal stories about summertime positive childhood experiences from their past. For many, summer signifies a break from the usual demands of school and work, offering opportunities for relaxation, travel, and spending quality time with people who matter most to us. The positive childhood experiences we have as youth helps create nostalgia, particularly for positive memories, which can boost self-esteem, create feelings of social connection, and even help regulate emotions during times of uncertainty. Here are a few of their stories.

On this episode, Tracey and Jeff are keeping things light. Well, as light as they can be. While funding for CASA programs throughout the United States remain up in the air based on federal funding cuts, Tracey and Jeff discussed how we can find fun funding sources for our CASA programs in the future. 

On this episode, Tracey and Jeff dove into the critical importance of resource parents within the world of foster care. These individuals, mainly family members, are some of the forgotten individuals at times within the system. Why are resource parents so important? How can they help provide for youth living in foster care? These are some of the questions we answered within this episode.

On this episode, Tracey and Jeff dove into the importance of help children and families via concrete resources. They spoke about CASA SHaW's "Big Ideas" plan and how we must continue to provide children living in foster care with better and enhanced resources in a very uncertain world. 

This week, Tracey and Jeff talked about men's mental health as we recognize Men's Mental Health Awareness Month here in June. Jeff shares some of his story growing up, and inevitably focusing on himself and his mental health, healing from the trauma he endured as a young boy. The overriding theme of this episode, talking to someone helps to heal. 

This episode features former New Jersey Superior Court Judge Thomas Dilts who pulls back the judicial curtain within the realm of foster care. After having spent much of his career as a family court judge, he came to understand how valuable CASA and CASA volunteers were to children living in foster care within our communities. We discussed his time as judge, what CASA has meant to him, and how he continues advocating for children in our region. 

In this episode, Tracey and Jeff talk about the very real condition of burnout and how we, in the social work profession, need to institute boundaries from time to time. The mental health of our CASA volunteers, staff, Board of Trustees, and every stakeholder is important.  We need to recognize what burnout might look like, and how to put up those boundaries when needed.