New Hampshire’s own Seth Meyers returned home on November 4 for a special stand-up performance at the SNHU Arena in support of our state’s children. Seth’s first appearance in 2018 for CASA of NH and the Granite State Children’s Alliance was a huge success, and this recent show was just as impactful. More than 100 VIP guests were treated to a special pre-show reception and meet-and-greet with Seth, and a total of 2,120 people attended the show, all of whom who enjoyed a night of laughter and fun in support of vulnerable children throughout the state. Proceeds from the event will aid both organizations in their missions to help more children heal and thrive.

About CASA of New Hampshire

Court Appointed Special Advocates (CASA) of New Hampshire provides a voice for New Hampshire children and youth who have experienced abuse and neglect by empowering a statewide network of trained volunteers to advocate on their behalf so they can thrive in safe, permanent homes. Since its founding in 1989, CASA of NH has advocated for nearly 12,000 children in court, giving them a chance at a better future.

In fiscal year 2023, CASA of NH volunteers served 1,549 children throughout the state, collectively donating 87,585 hours and making more than 13,000 visits to children. These volunteers are everyday people who come from all backgrounds – experience in law or social work is not required. If you have the heart to help, we can teach you the rest. For anyone interested in learning more about volunteering, CASA of NH offers virtual information sessions twice a month. These are a wonderful opportunity to listen to or talk with both staff and current volunteers. Visit www.casanh.org to register for an information session or to learn more about CASA of NH.

About the Granite State Children’s Alliance

The Granite State Children’s Alliance and The Network of New Hampshire’s Child Advocacy Centers (CACs) served 1,999 child abuse survivors last year. For many of those children and their families, their forensic interview at the CAC is the incredibly challenging but crucial first step in healing. The CAC model, is a data-driven, evidence-supported approach, defensible in court and deemed best practice for child abuse investigations by the U.S. Department of Justice and New Hampshire’s Attorney General’s Office. CACs have been at the forefront in intervening and preventing child abuse and child exploitation for over 20 years in New Hampshire.

New Hampshire CACs also lay the groundwork for next steps in the healing process, making referrals for specialized behavioral health and medical services, and following up with families to offer support and ensure child victims are receiving the care they need. The network is working collaboratively to develop and expand its service model to include trauma-informed mental health and specialized medical services onsite, reducing barriers to treatment that many families experience. Children who report abuse in New Hampshire have more access to support services than ever, but there is still a lot of work to be done. Visit www.cac-nh.org to learn more.

CASA of New Hampshire was honored to receive the Greater Nashua Chamber of Commerce’s Nonprofit of the Year Award at the 20^th annual Eminence Awards. The awards luncheon was held on May 24 at Sky Meadow Country Club in Nashua.

For over three decades, CASA of NH has recruited, trained, and supervised volunteers to advocate for children in New Hampshire who have experienced abuse and neglect. Having a dedicated CASA/GAL means that a child’s best interest in represented in court.

CASA volunteer advocates are typically assigned one case at a time and generally give 10-15 hours a month to help ensure judges have the information they need to make decisions that are best for the child’s future. They play a critical role in breaking the cycle of abuse and trauma.

In the greater Nashua area, 126 CASA advocates were active on cases in the past year. In fiscal year 2022, these volunteers contributed 11,638 hours of service to Nashua’s children.

Statewide in fiscal year 2022, CASA advocates were active on a total of 946 cases, served 1,538 children, and donated nearly 90,000 hours.

CASA of New Hampshire is pleased to announce the recent appointment of Evan Lowry, Dr. Charles T. Cappetta, and Madison Dragon. Evan Lowry is associate general counsel in the Office of General Council and Compliance at Sothern New Hampshire University. Dr. Charles T. Cappetta is an award-winning pediatrician at Dartmouth-Hitchcock in Nashua. Madison Dragon is a regulatory compliance specialist at Service Credit Union in Portsmouth. Madison, who had a CASA volunteer advocate until he was adopted in 2015, also brings lived experience to CASA of NH’s board of directors.

Evan Lowry is associate general counsel in the Office of General Council and Compliance at Sothern New Hampshire University. At SNHU, Evan is a generalist attorney, practicing in wide-ranging areas of the law, including student affairs, regulatory compliance, business transactions and contracts, real estate, construction, privacy and data security, and more.

Prior to joining SNHU, Evan served as a Justice AmeriCorps legal fellow, representing unaccompanied immigrant children in their removal proceedings before Boston Immigration Court, as part of a joint program sponsored by the Department of Justice and Corporation for National and Community Service.

Outside of the law, Evan is passionate about volunteering with impactful nonprofits, with a particular focus on youth mentoring. A graduate of the Hoffman-Haas fellowship through the New Hampshire Center for Nonprofits, Evan also serves on the board of directors for Nashua PAL, and was a longtime mentor in the Big Brothers Big Sisters program. He currently serves as the president of the Souhegan Valley Rotary Club. He lives in Nashua with his wife and daughter.

 

Charles T. Cappetta, M.D., is a general pediatrician at Dartmouth-Hitchcock in Nashua. He received his AB biology undergraduate degree from Harvard University in 1982, and his medical degree from University College and Middlesex School of Medicine in London, U.K., in 1988. He then completed his pediatric residency at Dartmouth-Hitchcock Medical Center in Lebanon, N.H., in 1993, and has been a full-time practicing pediatrician in Nashua ever since.

His interests include school and community health, which led him to create the award-winning Granite State FitKids (GSFK), which has helped teach more than 45,000 4^th grade students about their bodies and how to take care of them since the program’s inception in 1997. In 2005, the Cooper Institute in Dallas, Texas, named GSFK on of the top 150 programs in the country in the fight against childhood obesity. He is the official school physician for two SAUs in the Nashua area, and sits on both the NH Sudden Unexpected Infant Death (SUID) Review Committee and the NH Interscholastic Athletic Association (NHIAA). He sees incarcerated youth from ages 13-17 twice weekly at the Sununu Youth Service Center in Manchester.

In 2013, Dr. Cappetta was the winner of both the Healthy Heroes Award at Nashua’s inaugural “Walk a Mile with Our Mayor” event and the National AAP Council on Community Pediatrics Local Heroes Award, which each year recognizes two pediatricians in the country who epitomize the community pediatrician. He was also awarded the Sandi Van Scoyoc Legacy Award from the NH Children’s Health Foundation in 2022. Dr. Cappetta has been on the Nashua Board of Health since 2015, and is honored to be a part of such a wonderful team of professionals that makes the lives around us better and healthier.

 

Madison Dragon is a regulatory compliance specialist at Service Credit Union in Portsmouth. He is a member of their Culture Committee, which focuses on diversity, equity, and inclusion, and is passionate about improving the financial literacy of New Hampshire’s youth. During his time at Service Credit Union, he has supported communities through numerous volunteer initiatives and is a proud graduate of the Green Path Super Use program, a nonprofit organization dedicated to helping people build financial health and resiliency. He was a consumer loan underwriter before transitioning to regulatory compliance in 2021. Prior to beginning his professional career, Madison had a CASA of New Hampshire advocate until he was adopted in 2015. Madison has lived in Manchester with his boyfriend for the past two years, and he enjoys hiking, traveling, history, and design.

“CASA was there for me when I needed them most, and I’m honored to now pass on the support to children of today who need them most,” says Madison. “I’m excited to use my unique perspective to ensure New Hampshire’s abused and neglected youth are receiving the advocacy they deserve. My CASA advocate made an immeasurable positive impact on my life, and I’m thrilled to be involved in making sure that keeps happening for future CASA kids.”

CASA of New Hampshire is pleased to announce the recent appointment of JoAnn Fenton, Bill Glahn, and Linda Lovering to its Board of Directors. JoAnne Fenton, of Keene, is a former writer, editor, bank teller and paralegal. Bill Glahn, of Concord, is a director at McLane Middleton, Professional Association. Linda Lovering, of Meredith, is the past president/owner of Lovering Auto Group.

JoAnn Fenton is a former writer, editor, bank teller, vault teller, and paralegal. She has spent many years volunteering for nonprofits in the Monadnock region, including the Community Kitchen, Cheshire House of Corrections, Hundred Nights Shelter and served on boards for Monadnock Family Services and Keene Women’s Club among others. Fenton resides in Keene with her husband, Bill.

 

 

 

 

Bill Glahn is a director at McLane Middleton, Professional Association where he has practiced as a trial lawyer for more than 40 years. Before joining McLane, he was an Assistant Attorney General in the New Hampshire Attorney General’s Office. He is a Fellow of the American College of Trial Lawyers. Glahn has served on several nonprofit boards including New Hampshire Public Radio, The Derryfield School and the board of Concord School District. He is currently the immediate Past Chair of New Hampshire Humanities and a member of the board of the Girls Inc. of New Hampshire. Glahn lives in Concord with his wife, Hansi.

 

 

Linda Lovering is the past president/owner of Lovering Auto Group. In 1996, Lovering and her husband, Rich, purchased Capital City Motors. In 1998, they received the Volvo franchise for a location in Nashua and opened a third location in Meredith in 2004. Lovering is active within the state and local community, serving on several nonprofit boards. She resides in Meredith with her husband and two dogs.

CASA of New Hampshire, a nonprofit that trains volunteers to advocate for children experiencing abuse and neglect, hosted a fundraising event, CASA with Community: A Night of Support, Celebration and Recognition, on Thursday, May 19, at Rek’-lis Brewing Company in Bethlehem, N.H.

Over 500 people attended the event, which celebrated and raised awareness of the advocacy work of CASA’s North Country volunteers. The evening featured live music, speakers and raffles, raising over $1,000 for CASA of New Hampshire. Rek’-lis matched the first $500 in donations and provided Rek’-lis gift cards to all North Country CASA volunteers in appreciation of their dedication and volunteer advocacy.

“Huge thanks to Rek’-lis Brewing Company for partnering with CASA of New Hampshire and giving us the opportunity to share our important message with folks in the northern part of the state. We know child abuse knows no geographic boundaries and there is a tremendous need for CASA volunteers in the region. This event at Rek’-lis helped us spread the word about the important role ordinary citizens can fill to make a difference in the life of a child victim through their own powerful advocacy,” said Marcia Sink, President and CEO of CASA of New Hampshire.

“We are thrilled to support such a truly important organization that makes an impact on the communities that we live in. The CASA volunteers do the hard work, and we are here to support that in any way that we can.  We are so happy to have CASA here with us, and look forward to continued collaborations with the organization,” added Marlaina Renton and Ian Dowling, owners of Rek’-lis.