NEWS
This year’s small get together will recognize volunteers reaching a milestone anniversary with CASA/LA and honor our Volunteer of the Year and Rookie of the Year award recipients. Attendance is by invitation and RSVP only.
We hope you’ll join us for refreshments, connection and celebration as we recognize and appreciate all the amazing contributions from volunteers like you!
Are you interested in connecting with other CASAs? Prefer to do it one-on-one instead of in a group setting?
Sign up for Coffee with a CASA! You’ll be put in contact with another CASA also interested in connecting. Together, you can decide if you want to hop on a call, text, meet up in person – no coffee necessary.
COMMUNITY HIGHLIGHTS
Welcome our new CASA Volunteers
We’re so excited to welcome two new classes of CASAs. We had a graduation on June 30th and swore in some new wonderful CASAs. We are thrilled to welcome these dedicated advocates and deeply grateful that they’ve chosen to commit their time, compassion, and voices to empowering and supporting our young people.
Thank you for coming to Ride to Fly!
Thank you again for coming out to learn more about Ride to Fly and the services they offer!
Volunteer Voices: Linda Belzer
Linda Belzer, a CASA for 6 years, provides advocacy for a trans teenager here in Los Angeles, and we are so grateful for her efforts. We asked her a few questions about her advocacy, which are included below.
What inspired you to start volunteering with CASA? How long have you volunteered?
I retired from teaching in 2020 and wanted to do something fulfilling with my time while still working with children. I heard an ad on NPR for CASA and was intrigued. The training was thorough, inspiring, and interesting.
Can you describe a moment when you realized your work was making a difference?
Developing a relationship with my youth, and being able to offer them an opportunity to have a trusting one-on-one relationship with an adult has had a positive impact. Being in court when my youth is reunified with their family was a remarkable moment.
What’s one skill or lesson you’ve learned through volunteering as a CASA?
Being patient, understanding, and open-minded has been crucial when working with my youth. They have already been through so much trauma in their short lives, and being compassionate and non-judgmental are great gifts to these kids.
What has been your most challenging moment as a CASA volunteer, and how did you navigate that challenge?
Being a CASA for a 15-year-old trans youth had its challenges. My youth was placed in four different residences in less than two years before being reunited with his parents. Not all his placements were understanding about his identity, and the other foster children in the homes were often not kind. Positively reinforcing my youth’s feelings, providing a binder to assist with appearance, and advocating for them with the families was challenging and rewarding.
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Thank you so much, Linda, for your advocacy efforts. We are grateful to have you as a CASA!
TRAINING
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.
DMH + UCLA Training Calendar
UCLA’s PMHP provides over 250 trainings available at no cost via the DMH + UCLA Wellbeing for LA Learning Center. These include self-paced recorded trainings, live Zoom sessions with continuing education credits, and structured learning pathways designed for various service providers such as case managers, clinicians, nurse practitioners, housing specialists, peer providers, and substance use specialist
Learn more and view thier training calendar here.
California CASA Academy
This new platform replaces the California CASA E-Learning Center and offers more than 75 courses for both volunteers and staff. All courses count toward your 12 hours of required annual Continuing Education (CE) Hours.
Learn more and create an account here.
Need More CE Hours? Come to Educational Information Session!
Second Tuesday of every month, in-person at our CASA/LA Office! Check out the In-Service calendar to sign up for the next one.
Resources to Support Advocacy
Sign Up for a 1-1 Consultation with an Education Attorney
Date: September 8th, 2026
* On Pause for July and August *
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 Aimee Borrayo with any questions
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.
Housing Navigation for TAY
Next Office Hour- Tuesday, July 14th, 12-1pm.
Need support advocating 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 & 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 available services & referrals
Please reach out to Aimee Borrayo with any questions.
Jenette bras, in partnership with local CASA chapters, offers an in-person bra fitting, a well-fitting bra, and underwear of their choice, all free of charge. Eligible youth can take advantage of the program once a year! Learn more here.
Kick It in the Park!
Free Museum Days in LA
Every month, museums across Los Angeles offer free entry on specific days. Find out more here.
Touchstone Indoor Rock Climbing
Free YMCA Membership
Kids ages 12 and older are eligible for free YMCA memberships at locations across Los Angeles County until they turn 26. Additionally, resource families living within the service areas of the Antelope Valley YMCA or Weingart South Los Angeles YMCA are eligible for free one-year memberships. YMCA facilities can also be used as visitation sites, offering a safe and welcoming space for families.
Click here for the application!
Applications for Camp Erin are now open!
Camp Erin LA is a FREE bereavement camp for families grieving the death of a significant person in their lives within the past 4 years. Children and teens ages 6 to 17 attend a day camp experience that combines grief support with fun, traditional camp activities. Led by bereavement professionals and caring volunteers, families are provided a comfortable environment to explore their grief, learn essential coping skills, and make connections with peers who understand them. Learn more about Camp Erin and Our House here.
Educational Scholarship Opportunity!
- Scholarship Background: Established in 2000 by Mr. Aaron Ruben, the Aaron Ruben Scholarship has long supported current and former CASA youth as they pursue higher education. Through Mr. Ruben’s generosity, more than 100 scholarships have been awarded to date.
- Purpose: The scholarship is designed to provide financial assistance to current and former CASA (Court Appointed Special Advocates) youth, helping them pursue and achieve their educational dreams and goals.
- Eligibility and Application Requirements: Detailed eligibility criteria and application requirements are outlined in the scholarship application, Aaron Ruben Scholarship Application 2026-2027. Applicants are encouraged to review all instructions carefully to ensure a complete and successful submission. The deadline to apply is August 15, 2026.
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Contact Information: For questions or additional clarification regarding the scholarship, applicants may contact Carolyn R. McGee, M.A., Advocacy Team Manager, at 323‑859‑2888 (extension 6327) or via email at cm****@****la.org.
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: Newly Appointed CASAs
How are you doing on your CASA Journey?
- Connect with other volunteers that are in a similar place in their advocacy journey.
- Reconnect with peers from your cohort.
- Look for resources, we can try to provide tools for you to use.
- Receive some guidance, we can give insight on how to handle a challenging situation.
- Share a success, we can celebrate with you!
Next Meeting: Tuesday, July 28th at 5:30 PM -7:00 PM – but please drop in anytime!
CASA Community Connection
CROSSROADS is a one-woman show written and performed by former foster youth Renée Santos that uses storytelling, humor, and lived experience to explore foster care, aging out, addiction recovery, and reintegration. More than a theatrical performance, it is an invitation to engage in meaningful dialogue about the systems that impact youth and the opportunities we have to create lasting change. This special three-performance engagement (August 21–23 in Los Angeles) also serves as the launch of the show’s fiscal sponsorship campaign, supporting its goal of reaching conferences, universities, and communities across the country. Following the Saturday, August 22 performance, members of our community will participate in a post-show discussion, and we hope you’ll join us for an evening of conversation, connection, and advocacy.
CASA Contact
Aimee Borrayo
Manager of Volunteer Engagement
Hi everyone!
Consider me a friendly resource; whether you’re looking for a little extra support, want to chat about how things are going with your team, are curious about trying a different volunteer role, or just need someone to listen. You’ll be hearing from me now and then about connection events, but please don’t wait for an invitation!
Book Groups
Coastline Book Group
When: August 18th at 7pm
Where: CASA’s home in Santa Monica
We’re Reading: “Safe: A Memoir of Fatherhood, Foster Care and the Risks We Take for Family” by Mark Daley
RSVP: contact Lisa Baskin (ba*****@*******al.net)
*Space is limited to those with completed COVID-19 vaccines.
San Fernando Valley Book Group
When: TBD
Where: CASA’s Home in SFV
We’re Reading: “Letters to My Younger Self: An Anthology of Writing by Incarcerated Men”
RSVP: Contact Renne Bilson (rj******@*ol.com)
* Space is limited to those with completed Covid-19 vaccinations
Support casa/la
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.
Key guides & links
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
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.