By Pamela Saunders, Passaic County CASA Administrative Coordinator and Court Appointed Special Advocate
Today, my CASA child was adopted. For almost three years to the day, I have been a volunteer advocate for a boy in foster care. Together, we navigated the unknown and choppy waters of foster care. I lifted him up and encouraged him when he was having a tough time and he lifted me up with his dance moves, card tricks, and games of checkers when I was feeling like I just couldn't "fix" his situation. In the fall, I attended his back to school night so he wouldn't be the only kid without someone there to meet his teacher. Throughout the school year, I worked with him and his teachers to get his homework done and grades up. He ended this school year with straight "A's".
Through three placements and a difficult relationship with his parents (they were dealing with homelessness, drugs, and mental health issues), he always knew CASA was there. I attended court hearings every three month to inform the judge of my concerns and my recommendations to help this young man have a happier future. Last year, he moved out of state to live with his grandparents who he had not seen since infancy. It was an unfathomably difficult move for someone who had never left his hometown. Many ups and downs followed the move, but he and his grandparents became a family. I was glad to share in their joy as I followed their progress, answered their questions, and encouraged their bond. Adoption by his grandparents gives him a new and amazing beginning.
Yes, today was a happy day.