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 questions about the Buzz or anything else CASA/LA-related, please reach out to Isabel Bloom, our manager of volunteer relations. Thanks for being an advocate!
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TABLE OF CONTENTS
NEWS
Check Out New Resources, Save the Date for CASA/LA Hike, Gala & More
TRAINING
Many Upcoming In-Services, IEP Clinic & More
CONNECTION
Sign up for a CASA Connection, Book Group, or a CASA-Hosted Brunch
YOUTH RESOURCES
Summer Camp Opportunities, Scholarships, Tax Help & More
SUPPORT CASA/LA
Learn About Upcoming Events & Campaigns
KEY GUIDES / LINKS
Litmos, Handbooks, Emotional Support, AV Hub & Much More
NEWS
Latest Resources
Fire Recovery Resources, Training, Mental Health Support & More
Resources:
Training:
- UCLA Pritzker Training Recording is available here (Supporting Children, Strengthening Communities: Professional Skills for Talking About Wildfires Together)
Emotional Support:
Immigrant Rights and LGBTQIA+ Community Resource Page
We are doing our best to consolidate up-to-date resources on this page.
Get Started with your Continuing Education for 2025
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:
Save the Date
Join us for a Sunset Hike on 5/18
Date: Sunday, May 18th
Time: 4:30pm
Difficulty: This hike is 5 miles round trip. Moderately steep for the first 1.5 miles and then mostly flat. We will move at a slow pace and will be happy to take breaks.
Duration: Approximately 3 hours
Details: Canyon hike to Hollyridge trail. The trail begins on Canyon drive near Brush Canyon Trailhead, close to Bronson Caves. We will take most of the Brush Canyon trail until the trail splits and will take an easier trail to the front of the sign.
Directions: 3025 Canyon Dr, Los Angeles, CA 90068
Parking: Limited free parking inside the park (two small parking lots). Also, plenty of street parking on Canyon drive before the entrance to the park.
Meeting Point: When you first enter the park gates, go past the children’s playground (on the left) and the grassy area with tables (on the right) until you reach the first parking lot. Emily will be waiting at the grassy area (with a CASA t-shirt) opposite the first small parking area (see this photo).
Advice: It can be quite sunny on this trail with very minimal shade so we encourage you to bring a hat, sunscreen, and water.
Questions: Contact *********@****la.org” target=”_blank” rel=”noopener”>Emily Scrimshaw
Teen Support Workshops at the AV Hub Every Tuesday
Thanks for Another Successful Glamour Gowns & Suit Up!
A huge thank you to all the incredible CASA volunteers who brought their youth to Glamour Gowns & Suit Up or dedicated their time to make the event special! Your support helps ensure that teens in foster care not only receive beautiful formal wear but also feel seen, valued, and empowered.
Extra bonus …. CBS News came out to cover the event! CLICK HERE
Please enjoy some images from the day. CLICK HERE
See you next year!
13th Reimagine Gala: 5/2 at the Millennium Biltmore Hotel
Join us for an unforgettable evening at the Millennium Biltmore Hotel on May 2, 2025, as we come together to reimagine the future for children and families impacted by LA County’s child welfare and youth justice systems.
This year, the Gala will be hosted by CASA Volunteer and Actress, Taylor Polidore. We are proud to honor Carol Biondi, Capital Group, The Change Reaction and Assemblymember Isaac G. Bryan for their dedication and commitment to CASA. Our goal? To surpass $1 million in support of CASA/LA’s mission!
Still time to get involved:
- Sponsorship Opportunities: Partnering with CASA/LA helps provide vital advocacy and resources for children in need. Click here to learn more about sponsorships and see our incredible supporters.
- Auction Items: We are looking for unique items to be donated for our silent and live auction. If you have access to gift cards, classes, sporting events, hotel stays, weekend getaways, once-in-a lifetime experiences, baskets … we would love to add that to our already incredible list of auction items. Please reach out to Kim Goldman or use this form to submit your donation.
- Volunteers: If you would like to volunteer at the Gala, let us know. You can help at registration, the auction room, set up, and more! Click here to sign up.
Monthly CASA Crush
Johnathan Dorfman has a life policy: “Say yes…. Saying yes will get you further.” This is why, after finding out about CASA/LA in 2020 and doing some research, he decided that he needed to get involved. At the time, he thought to himself, “I have two kids who are happy and healthy and have more than most. I think I have something to give to other kids.” With that, not entirely knowing what he was getting into, Johnathan signed up for training and dove into advocacy that same year.
Johnathan’s first youth and his current youth have both required advocacy related to their education as well as justice system involvement. He saw a lot of progress with his first youth, getting him moved from a facility to the home of a family member as well as back in school and on track to graduate. Johnathan’s second youth, Jackson, is currently placed in juvenile hall and experiences a lot more behavioral and psychological challenges related to his fetal alcohol spectrum disorder (FASD) diagnosis. Building a relationship has been more challenging, but Johnathan noted, “I am not a big brother for them. That is not my role. There are limits to what the relationship can be. This advocacy is about finding the right care for him and helping him identify realistic goals for himself.”
Given that Johnathan gets minimal face-to-face time with Jackson while he is in juvenile hall, he has done a lot of his advocacy through work with Jackson’s team. Jackson has had a lot of issues with placement and leaving without permission and that is how he keeps ending up involved with the justice system. It is clear to Johnathan and the rest of the team that, when Jackson leaves juvenile hall, he needs to be placed in a stable, supportive, environment that he will not be able to leave without permission. There aren’t many of these facilities and gaining acceptance has proven challenging. The LACOE psychologist submits the applications and he shares a lot of details that make the youth undesirable to these facilities because he clearly has a lot of needs. At a recent IEP meeting, Johnathan knew that if nothing changed, they would keep repeating this cycle of him leaving and returning to juvenile hall. The teacher and the special ed person both spoke about how well Jackson was doing generally and specifically in class. Johnathan asked them to write a letter to go along with the applications. They said yes, and with some persistent follow up, the new letter was added to Jackson’s applications. To Johnathan, this exemplifies the importance of the CASA role: you’re looking at your youth from a strength-based mindset, catching stuff that falls through the cracks, and encouraging communication between the incredibly busy professionals on your youth’s team.
Reflecting on his nearly five years as a CASA, Johnathan shared that his advocacy role has changed him in ways he didn’t anticipate. Overall he has a sense of gratification from doing work that feels extremely needed. On a more personal level, he suspects that being a CASA has made him more patient in his day-to-day life, a better athlete (he competes in triathlons), and more positive about what kinds of change can be achieved. He also feels that investing in an important endeavor that is distinct from his career has made his life more well-rounded and meaningful.
Thank you, Johnathan, for your incredible advocacy!
Nominate a CASA Crush
TRAINING
Upcoming Trainings
Online Resources from the Foster Together Network
Learn more and view all available resources here.
Create an account and view resource library here.
Other Training Resources
Sign Up for an IEP Consultation on 4/30
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 a skilled education attorney to get informed legal advice on your young person’s education and guidance on action steps. Please note, this is not an in-service training to learn about IEPs and education.
We are limited to 3 time slots per month. In order to reserve an appointment, you must have all your youth’s available education records for the last two years, including at very least the most recent IEP as well as any assessments. These documents this will provide the attorney with the information needed to make thorough assessments regarding your case. Once all 3 time slots are filled we will begin a waitlist.
Sign up for 1:1 Regional Center Support
Click here to request a consultation or contact Caroline Christ with any questions.
Virtual Youth Justice CASA Share and Support
What: Are you currently supporting a youth impacted by the justice system? Would you like to connect with other CASAs about your experience with navigating multiple systems with your CASA youth? Join us for a share and support to discuss how CASAs are showing up to support youth with multi system impact.
When: Tuesday, April 22nd, 4-5pm
Where: Zoom
Connection
CASA Connections
Education Advocacy CASA Connection
What: Join this CASA Connection led by CASAs with many years of special education experience. The group is here to help talk through difficult issues and create community for CASAs advocating for their youth’s rights to an education.
When: Thursday, 5/8, 5:30-7pm
Where: Zoom
General CASA Connection
What: A meeting for any CASA interested in connecting with and/or getting support from other CASAs!
When: Tuesday, May 20th at 5:30pm
Where: Zoom
RSVP to Join fellow CASA/LA Volunteers for Brunch on 6/1
Book Groups
Coastline Book Group
When: Tuesday, May 6th at 1:30pm
Where: At a CASA’s home in Beverlywood
We’re Reading: “One Small Boat” by Kathy Jarrison
RSVP: contact Lisa Baskin (ba*****@*******al.net)
*Space is limited to those with completed COVID-19 vaccines.
San Fernando Valley Book Group
When: Tuesday, May 20th at 7pm
Where: CASA’s Home in SFV
We’re Reading: “An Apparently Normal Person: From Medical Mystery to Dissociative Superpower” by Bonnie Armstrong
RSVP: Contact Renne Bilson (rj******@*ol.com)
* Space is limited to those with completed Covid-19 vaccinations
Youth Resources
New Resources
Biddy Mason Academic/ Professional Scholarships
Since 2018, the Biddy Mason Charitable Foundation has offered scholarships to help current and former foster youth pursue their academic and professional dreams.
• We impose no age limit for applicants
• Scholarships are renewable and range from $450 to $3,000
• Funding can be used for any accredited high school, undergraduate, postgraduate, or vocational institution
Application deadline 5/16
American Industries Trade Scholarship - Now Open
The American Industries Trade Scholarship offers up to $10,000 in academic funding over two years to help youth in foster care overcome financial hurdles in earning a trade certification or vocational degree. In addition to financial aid, the program provides support to encourage personal, emotional, and social growth for youth.
Early admissions deadline: 3/28/2025
Priorty deadline: 4/25/2025
Final deadline: 5/30/2025
Apply to Camp Erin Grief Camp for Summer 2025
Camp Connect June 27-29 for Youth Ages 11-17
We are excited to announce that Camp Connect, which offers a unique opportunity for youth to foster lasting connections while enjoying an unforgettable camp experience, will be taking place overnight, from Friday, 6/27 to Sunday, 6/29, 2025. If you know of any youth who would benefit from this program, we encourage you to consider referring them to Camp Connect. Below are the criteria for referrals:
Camp Connect Eligibility Requirements 2025
- Ages 11-17 We cannot go younger.
- Must have family reunification terminated
- Youth are not residing with a relative or NREFM, or in Legal Guardianship.
- Must be in need of a permanent family or at least a permanent connection such as a mentor.
- Can be open to adoptions or not, but would benefit from an adult connection.
- Must be able to handle being transported by a bus to camp (caregiver or someone will need to drive the youth to one of the bus pick-up points)
- May have some medical issues like diabetes or asthma (there will be a nurse at camp), but no serious medical problems that would keep them from participating in all activities. If they are diabetic, they must be able to monitor their own diet.
- Does not require 1 on 1 supervision
- Is not a chronic runaway and no recent AWOLS that included overnights.
- No recent history of significant aggressive or assaultive behavior towards youth or adults
- Must be able to stay at camp for the whole weekend (they will not be able to leave early)
- No drug use other than occasional marijuana use. For youth who use marijuana frequently, they must be willing to be searched and have their belongings searched if they want to attend.
- No psychiatric hospitalization within the last 90 days.
Here is the link to the 2023 Camp Connect Video with testimonials at the end of the video.
We will start accepting referrals on May 1, 2025. If you have a youth that fits the eligibility criteria for Camp Connect, please email CSW Christina Delight at BI****@***********ty.gov with the youth(s) names and DOB(s). CSW Delight will review the case to determine if the youth’s referral has been accepted.
NFYI Listening Sessions 4/1, 4/8 & 4/15
The National Foster Youth Institute is hosting a series of Listening Sessions! They are inviting current or former foster youth, ages 18 to 26, to join us in these sessions to brainstorm, strategize, and collect data and recommendations on access to mental health services and other key issues in child welfare.
All participants will be awarded with an $80 stipend (or “scholarships”) at the end of each session. Of course all participants are expected to engage in the conversation, and not just observe, in order to receive the scholarship.
Summer Coding Camp for Youth Ages 9-14
Code to Grow is offering a summer coding camp for youth ages 9-14 living in LA county. Here is the flyer describing the program and the application can be completed here.
Tax Filing Resources for Youth Ages 18-25
John Burton Advocates for you provides a tax prep checklist, self-filing guide, and 1-1 appointments for current and former foster youth who were 18-25 by 12/31/2024. They also have information on how to access the CA Foster Youth Tax Credit of up to $1,154.
YDS / ILP - Real ID Events
Several DMV locations are offering appointments to help youth obtain a REAL ID. These IDs will be required to board domestic flights and enter federal buildings starting May 7th 2025.
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.
Calkids Money for College Starting at Birth
Comprehensive Education Toolkit
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.
A Home Within: Free Therapy for CASA Youth
A Home Within – CASA Therapy Project is a collaboration with A Home Within and CASA of Contra Costa County. CASA youth are eligible for free teletherapy services if they are ages 12-24 and have mild/moderate mental health needs.
For more information, click here.
Please share the referral form and youth flier with your youth’s CSW.
LA County Parks’ FREE Snack Program
Keep the kids fueled up with FREE snacks at 48 park locations across LA County! It’s the perfect way to enjoy a park day with food, play, and family time – all for free.
• When: Monday through Friday, 3:00 PM – 4:00 PM
• Now until May 23, 2025*
• Details: Download the CA Meals for Kids mobile app to find nearby Summer Meal Programs Sites and check out the LA County Library website for additional locations.
Language Line
Use Language Line to speak with monolingual individuals on your case. Call in to the service to request an interpreter for the language that you need (out of 290+ language options), or seek help determining the language for which you require translation. View this guide document for call-in instructions.
Networking Opportunity for Women in the Arts
The Southern California Women’s Caucus for Art is a networking organization for women in the arts. They offer a broad range of events, opportunities, and programs including exhibitions, activism, and community building.
They are currently accepting new members and would like to invite any CASA youth who’s interested in art and would like to connect with other women sharing the same passion. The membership fee for one year is $75; however, they have scholarships available which would cover the membership fee.
For questions or to join, please contact Cathy Engle-Marder (SCWCA Memberships Director).
Pick up a Handmade Quilt for your Youth
Push for Peace Program for Youth Ages 15-24
This program equips youth with tools and presenets classes on topics related to emotional intelliigence, conflict resolution, and financial literacy.
Refer a Young Person to Specialized DCFS LGBTQIA+ Services
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
Court Report Writing Resources
Litmos: Access Past Trainings
Visit Litmos (linked in training section above) for webinars on transition age youth, early childhood, and more. Contact Isabel Bloom with any questions.
Emotional Support for CASAs
We care about your well-being. All volunteers may access our EAP program for anonymous counseling.
AV Community Hub Info
The CASA/LA Antelope Valley Community Hub is designed to offer a welcoming environment for children and families while supporting and enhancing the work of our dedicated CASAs. The hub provides a range of services including workshops, educational support, training resources, one-on-one support sessions, monitored visits, and a safe space for building a support network.
- Location: 1202 W Ave J, Lancaster, CA, 93536
- Hours: 8:30 AM – 7:00 PM
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.
Submit to our Volunteer "Suggestion Box"
Grief Resources
CASA/LA is connected to numerous resources and organizations to help support you through grief. We care about your well-being. All volunteers may access our Employee Assistance Plan for anonymous counseling. Otherwise, please reach out to your advocate supervisor for individualized support or to Isabel Bloom to learn more about specific resources and/or upcoming events.
