NEWS
Introducing CASA/LA’s new mission and vision statement!
Art & Wine
Art Meets Advocacy:
Championing Youth in Foster Care
Sunday, November 8, 2026
The Beehive, Los Angeles
4:00 p.m. – 7:00 p.m.
Join us for Art & Wine, one of CASA of Los Angeles’ most beloved traditions, bringing together art, community, and purpose in support of children and youth in foster care.
This year’s theme, Art Meets Advocacy: Championing Youth in Foster Care, will feature a curated collection of established and emerging artists, exceptional wines, live music, and a special live performance by internationally recognized pop culture artist Rob Prior, known for his incredible dual-handed painting.
Come experience an unforgettable evening, discover inspiring art, and connect with a community committed to making a difference.
Join us where art meets purpose; and together, we Champion Every Child.
100% of proceeds support CASA/LA’s advocacy for children and youth in foster care.
This holiday season, we have two wish lists filled with gifts for our youth and you can help make them happen! 🎁
For many of these kids, a gift from their CASA might be the only one under the tree. Let’s fill that space with joy, together. 💛
Here’s how you can help!
Share the wishlist links with a community partner who loves giving
Send the wish lists to your friends or family members who might want to support
Every share spreads a little more holiday magic. Thank you for helping us make the season bright! ✨
Click here to register for Spill the Tea with our CEO and board members, a great opportunity for volunteers to hear what CASA/LA is doing and provide feedback!
8:00 AM – Office Open for Pick Ups
10:30 AM – Refreshments
11:30 AM – Raffle
2:00 PM – Pick Up Window Closes
🎁We hope to see you there!🎁
COMMUNITY HIGHLIGHTS
Thank you to our CASA Host, Bruce Albert, for organizing a Coffee and Connection in Northridge over the September 25th weekend.
Join them for Happy Hour at the Woodman on Ventura Blvd. in Sherman Oaks on November 4th. Click here to RSVP.
Welcome to our new CASAs!
We’re so excited about our recent CASA graduates, we had two graduations on Oct 1st, one in our Monterey Park Office, and one in our Antelope Valley offices. Thank you to all for your hard work and dedication throughout training! ❤️
Volunteer Voices: Sharon Cruse
As a former foster youth, Sharon Cruse’s role as a CASA represents a deeply meaningful, full-circle journey. Raised in the foster care system from a young age, she was initially cared for by extended family. At 15, Sharon and her siblings moved from Memphis, Tennessee, to Los Angeles to live with their grandfather. She has called Los Angeles home ever since, and today, she channels her lived experience into empowering others as the owner of her own life skills training business.
She first noticed CASA ads online a few years ago, which sparked her curiosity. Driven by a deep desire to help others, she soon realized during her training that this role was the right fit. “CASA training was so impactful. You really learn how to let your own parental beliefs and biases aside. You learn to be more open-minded and understand how much of an impact your actions can have on kids in foster care,” she shares.
In August 2025, she was successfully matched with a teenage boy. She has since been able to assist him with school, time management, career development, financial literacy, and overall confidence-building. She shares, “When I first met him, he would never make eye contact with me. I would take him out to eat and talk to him one-and-one to build trust, where he slowly started to make eye-contact more. I really have tried to get him to understand that he can have a different life, that he can accomplish a lot, and I have shared my own life examples of being in the foster-care system.” Sharon was also able to get him a Black male mentor–someone that looks like him that he can build a meaningful relationship with.
Sharon realized her work was making a difference with her CASA teen during a Child and Family Team (CFT) meeting this past spring. While he used to be timid and quiet in these meetings, Sharon noticed how animated and confident he had become. “He could have run that whole meeting! He was the boss!” she chuckles and exclaims.
When asked what she would share with others who might be thinking about becoming a CASA, she shares, “Get involved!!! With 3 exclamation marks! Foster children need us. We should make ourselves available. Advocate for them. Be honest with your child. Be there for them. It is such a good feeling to know that you are performing a God-given purpose in someone’s life.”
Thank you, Sharon, for your efforts as a CASA–we are so grateful for your advocacy!
TRAINING
Other Training Resources
Missed Sept's In-Services? Click Here!
Leading with Emotional Wellness presented by Kidpower (9.3.26), you can access resources here: Leading with Emotional Wellness presented by Kidpower (In-Service 9.3.26)
Keeping Families Together presented by LADL (9.16.26), you can see the recording here: Keeping Families Together presented by LADL (In-Service 9.16.26)
Reducing the Racial Wealth Gap: The Background & Promise of CA’s HOPE for Children Trust Accounts Program (9.17.26), you can see the recording here: Reducing the Racial Wealth Gap: The Background & Promise of California’s HOPE for Children Trust Accounts Program (In-Service: 9.17.26)
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 Advocacy Workshops!
Second Thursday of every month, in-person at our CASA/LA Office! Check out the In-Service calendar to sign up for the next one.
In-Services By Topic
Transitional Age Youth (TAY)
Expectant and Parenting Youth (EPY)
CSEC
Youth Justice
Special Education
Resources to Support Advocacy
Sign Up for a 1-1 Consultation with an Education Attorney
Date: November 18th, 2026
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
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, November 10th, 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.
Next Office Hour- Tuesday, November 17th, 5:30 PM – 6:30 PM.
This is an opportunity for you to ask case specific questions and get guidance about youth rights and situations that may come up in your advocacy.
The Ombudsperson’s office can provide support to CASAs who have questions about their youth’s rights, potential rights violations, or how to help a youth address a concern. Specifically, they can discuss these matters for youth who are living in: An STRTP, Transitional Housing Placement Program for Non-Minor Dependents (THPP-NMD), any other out of home placements.
Navigating the educational needs of a youth can be challenging, but we’re here to provide support!
In November we will cover: Least Restrictive Environment
Virtual Session: November 12th, 2026
Time: 12:00 PM – 1:00 PM
Each month, our CASA, Dennis will present on a specific topic related to educational needs. When attending you can learn about best ways to advocate for a youth in that related topic and stay during the Q&A to share about your case needs.
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.
Free Things to do Around LA!
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!
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
Book Groups
San Fernando Valley Book Group
When: October 20th, 2026
Time: 7 PM
Where: CASA’s Home in SFV
We’re Reading: “Before Their Crimes: What We’re Misunderstanding about Childhood Trauma, Youth Crime and the Path to Healing” by Wendy Smith
RSVP: Contact Renne Bilson (rjbilson@aol.com)
* Space is limited to those with completed Covid-19 vaccinations
Coastline Book Group
When: TBD
Where: CASA’s home in Santa Monica
We’re Reading: TBD
RSVP: contact Lisa Baskin (baskinl@sbcglobal.net)
*Space is limited to those with completed COVID-19 vaccines.
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.
CASA Connection Group
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.
We will be having these on a check-in basis for new CASAs three months after their graduation. Please reach out if you have any other questions!
CASA Community Connection
CASA Contact
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.