Welcome to the Buzz, CASA/LA’s hub for volunteer news, upcoming events, resources, and more! View a summary of the page’s contents below and feel free to click to jump down to the section that is most relevant to you. The Buzz is updated monthly and each month’s highlights can be delivered straight to your inbox.
If you have any suggestions about the Buzz or anything else CASA/LA-related, please submit to our suggestion box!
TABLE OF CONTENTS
NEWS
Recent CASA/LA updates
TRAINING
In-Services, & More
CONNECTION
Sign up for a CASA Connection & Volunteer-Hosted Book Group
YOUTH RESOURCES
New Resource Hub, Paid 14-26 y/o Fellowship Program & More
SUPPORT CASA/LA
Charity Golf Invitational, Tiny Wins Art, Black Aswad Coffee Co. Partnership & More
KEY GUIDES / LINKS
Litmos, Handbooks, Emotional Support
NEWS
Congrats New CASA/LA Graduates!
We are thrilled to welcome an incredible group of 22 new advocates to our team! Thank you for your commitment to our young people.
October Happy Hour
Join us for our next Happy Hour at Golden Road Brewing on Oct 23rd at 6.30pm. Come to relax, connect, and celebrate our shared work and impact.
RSVP here
It was truly meaningful to see so many familiar (and new!) faces at our last Happy Hour
Here’s to more moments of community and collaboration!
Volunteer Voices: Jill Parker
Located in sunny Long Beach, with a background in marketing and advertisement and now a stay at home mom to her 14 and 16 year old daughters, Jill Parker has been a CASA volunteer for 16 years; 14 of those right here with CASA Los Angeles. She was inspired to become a CASA after she learned that the Los Angeles area has the highest number of foster youth in the entire country. The volunteer role was a great fit, as her long-attended church is also heavily involved in foster youth advocacy.
Currently, Jill is advocating for two teenage girls, where she supports them with various academic and personal needs. She recently helped one of her CASA teens transfer to a new school where she can better thrive, and Jill saw that as a big win. “Teenage years are hard. I want my CASA youth to have the best options for their future and help them make the best choices available to them. Sometimes they just need some help along the way,” she shares.
It is easy for Jill’s CASA Advocate supervisor to rave about her, and she writes, “Jill is a wonderful CASA advocate and is very knowledgeable and involved. She has successfully closed out seven cases with advocacy goals being met. She maintains relationships with some of the youth she was a CASA for, helping them move into college and inviting them to Thanksgiving and Christmas gatherings. The passion and love for being a CASA is evident.”
Jill’s passion for supporting foster youth, especially those in the transitional years of ages 18-21, has led her to begin on-boarding for a mentoring program at her church. Members of her church will volunteer to mentor an 18-21 year old previous foster youth, and Jill’s goal is to have this program in churches all over Long Beach with various cohorts of trainees and communities. “These young adults deserve community. I see a huge opportunity gap for them, and I’m trying to step into that. We need to show up for them,” she shares. Jill is not only talking the talk – she is truly walking the walk.
When asked how she would encourage someone else to get involved with CASA Los Angeles, Jill shares, “The need is so great, especially here in Los Angeles. The highest number of youth in foster care are right here, in your own front yard, who could benefit from your support. There is so much you can do for a youth just by showing up.”
Thank you, Jill, for your amazing service and dedication to your CASA youth!
TRAINING
Upcoming Trainings
Other Training Resources
Logging Continuing Education Hours
CASA volunteers are required to complete 12 hours of continuing education each year to support their advocacy. We have launched a new system for tracking continuing education (CE) entirely in Litmos.
Click here to view the recording of the In-Service Training – CASA CE 101: Requirements, Tracking, and Logging Hours. This recording will provide an overview of everything you need to know about the new system AND it will count towards your continuing education hours.
If you need more background information, help logging into Litmos, or have other questions, please review the following guide documents:
Foster Together Network
The UCLA Prevention Center of Excellence is excited to share a collection of resources for child welfare professionals, generously supported by Pritzker Foster Care Initiative. Available on the Wellbeing for LA Learning Center, this curated collection includes handouts (also available in Spanish), videos, and online trainings that utilize evidence-based behavior management strategies and resilience-promoting parenting skills to reduce placements for children in LA County’s welfare system and promote family and individual development.
Learn more and view all available resources here.
Create an account and view resource library here.
Help Us Build a Court Report Writing Training
We’re developing an in-service training series on court report writing, and we want to make sure it meets your needs.
Whether you’re a seasoned volunteer or just starting out, we would love to hear from you.
Tell Us What You Think
Your feedback will directly shape the content, format, and focus of the training. We’re especially interested in:
- Areas where you need additional support
- Specific topics or skills you’d like the training to cover
- Tools, templates, or resources that would be helpful
- Preferred format and timing for the training (e.g., in-person, virtual, self-paced; daytime or evening sessions)
Click below to complete our short feedback form. It only takes a few minutes, and your input will make a big impact.
Resources to Support Advocacy
New Volunteer Resource Hub
Click here to view our new shared resource folders. Our directory of resources will now live in these new folders. Only new and time sensitive resources will be listed in the Buzz.
Click here to submit your own resources. Submissions will regularly get added to the resource hub.
Time-Sensitive Opportunities
Seed to Shelf Paid Fellowship Program - Youth Ages 14-26
Ongoing Resources
Baby2Baby: Resources for Pregnant or Parenting Youth and Young Children
Talk with your advocate supervisor about requesting diapers/wipes and other baby supplies through CASA/LA from Baby2Baby. All orders must be placed by CASA/LA staff.
If your CASA youth is expecting and at least 6 months pregnant, please speak with your Advocate Supervisor about requesting a Welcome Baby basket.
For Goodness Cakes: Treats for Youth Birthdays and Graduations
For Goodness Cakes is a collective of professional bakers who volunteer to make cakes for youth facing adversity. They’d love to make a cake for your CASA youth! See their FAQ part 1 here and FAQ part 2 here. Reach out to your advocate supervisor to ask them to request a cake for your youth.
Pick up a Handmade Quilt for your Youth
Contact your supervisor if you haven’t yet gotten a quilt from the office for your youth. Once you pick one up, please complete the thank you note that comes with the quilt. You can take a picture of the note or scan it and email it to Lauri Halderman
Workshops for Youth in Antelope Valley Hub
Workshops for Resource Parents at AV Hub
Classes for Youth in AV Hub
Connection
CASA Connections
CASA Connections are intended to be positive social experiences that encourage CASAs to connect and build networks of friendship and support.
These spaces are all about sharing ideas, offering encouragement, and working together to find solutions using a strength-based approach. While it’s a great space to talk through challenges, it’s essential to keep the focus constructive and always protect the confidentiality of the children and families we support.
CASA Connection: Education Focused
Each month, our discussion will center around a specific topic related to educational needs. Next meeting, we’re focusing on School Refusal and Truancy as many of the children we serve face challenges with attendance at school.
We recognize the insight, dedication, and perseverance that you bring when supporting youth through these challenges. Whether you’ve seen progress, faced setbacks, or are still navigating what works best, we invite you to join the discussion and connect with fellow advocates.
Next Meeting: Tuesday, October 7th at 5.30pm-7pm (drop in anytime)
General Connection Group
Public Counsel Office Hours
Second Tuesday of each month, 12-1pm.
Need legal answers for your CASA youth?
Connect with Public Counsel’s Transition Age Youth (TAY) Team. They provide free, civil legal support to youth ages 16–26 who have experienced foster care. Their areas of expertise include:
- Housing law
- Family law
- Public benefits advocacy
- Education and more
Learn more about the team here.
Register to join a virtual drop-in session with attorneys from Public Counsel to:
- Ask questions specific to your youth’s situation
- Understand their legal rights
- Explore services and referrals available through Public Counsel
Please reach out to Emily Scrimshaw with any questions.
Sign Up for a 1-1 Consultation with an Education Attorney
Date: Wednesday, October 29th
Time slots: 9am, 10am or 11am
CASA/LA is hosting an IEP consultation clinic with the help of the Alliance for Children’s Rights. This clinic is an opportunity to consult one-on-one with an education attorney to get guidance about your young person’s education.
Steps to schedule a consultation:
- Check your availability: Confirm that you’re available on the clinic date and during possible appointment times. Tentatively mark these on your calendar
- Gather education documents: collect as many documents as you can from the last two years of your young person’s educational history
- Complete the consultation form
- Look out for a confirmation email
Note: Appointments are limited and scheduled on first come, first serve basis. Submit your form early to secure your spot.
Where: Zoom
REGISTER by completing consultation form
Contact Emily Scrimshaw with any questions
Sign up for 1:1 Regional Center Support
Are you working with a youth that has a developmental disability? Struggling to navigate an IEP or the Regional Center? You can sign up for a 1:1 case consultation with Advocate Supervisor Caroline Christ to discuss your case and receive specialized support related to youth with developmental disabilities.
Click here to request a consultation or contact Caroline Christ with any questions.
Book Groups
Coastline Book Group
When: September 9, at 1:30 PM
Where: At a CASA’s home in Venice
We’re Reading: Before We Were Yours, by Lisa Wingate
RSVP: contact Lisa Baskin (baskinl@sbcglobal.net)
*Space is limited to those with completed COVID-19 vaccines.
San Fernando Valley Book Group
When: November 18th at 7pm
Where: CASA’s Home in SFV
We’re Reading: “Good Dirt” by Charmaine Wilkerson
RSVP: Contact Renne Bilson (rjbilson@aol.com)
* Space is limited to those with completed Covid-19 vaccinations
Support casa/la
A Day on the Course, a Lifetime of Impact
Albert & Mackenzie, a workers’ compensation defense law firm founded by Bruce Albert, who has served as a CASA/LA volunteer for the past seven years, is hosting its Inaugural Charity Golf Invitational on Friday, November 7, 2025, at Strawberry Farms Golf Course in Irvine, CA. All proceeds will be donated to CASA of California, CASA of Los Angeles, and Peace4Kids as the beneficiaries.
If you, or someone you know, want to sponsor, donate, and/or play a round of golf at one of Southern California’s beautiful courses, we invite you to join us and register today at charity.albmac.com.
A Message from Albert & Mackenzie’s Firm Managing Partner: “Through my journey as a CASA volunteer for the past 7 years, I’ve witnessed firsthand the need by these youth in foster care for a constant and stable partner on which to rely. Being involved in the lives of these young individuals has been one of the most rewarding experiences of my life. I am proud to support youth in foster care.”
Become a Monthly Donor
Monthly donations are crucial to buffering our organization from the ups and downs of life, ensuring that there is no lull in service to the youth we serve.
Help us sustain our transformational programs through a monthly gift.
More Ways to Give
- Use your Ralphs Rewards Card to earn donations for CASA/LA.
- Donate your car, boat, RV, or motorcycle with Helping Hands Charity Services.
- Host a community drive.
- Consider CASA/LA in your planned giving.
- Invite others to become CASA volunteers.
Tiny Wins Are Going Fast - Don’t Miss Out!
Coffee with a Cause: CASA/LA x Black Aswad Coffee Co.
We’re thrilled to announce a meaningful new partnership with Black Aswad Coffee Co., a mission-driven brand committed to mental wellness, justice, and social impact. Through their premium blend, HAVEN, 20% of all proceeds will directly support CASA/LA’s advocacy on behalf of children in the foster care system.
Rooted in shared values, this collaboration is more than just a cup of coffee — it’s a daily act of awareness, solidarity, and change. Every bag you brew fuels the movement for equity, healing, and hope for youth in foster care.
Learn more and order your bag of HAVEN today: CASA/LA x Black Aswad Coffee Co.
Key guides & links
Court Report Writing Resources
Emotional Support for CASAs
We care about your well-being. All volunteers may access our EAP program for anonymous counseling.
Click here to learn about the CASA/ LA Benefits EAP for volunteers
Access services here with the code “worklife”
Volunteer Handbook
ETO: CASA/LA's Database
Need help with ETO? No worries, we got you covered. If the advocate handbook doesn’t have your answer, you can email the ETO helpdesk. Additionally, we have a recorded ETO training available on Litmos.