After retiring early, Kathleen Bernstein knew she still had more to give the world. Having “spent enough time making rich companies richer,” as she puts it, Kathleen decided to donate the rest of her working career away. She and her husband adopted their own two children, who are now grown, when they were six-and-a-half and almost five years old. By stepping forward to become a Court Appointed Special Advocate, Kathleen works directly to help other children either be reunited with their parents or have a smooth transition to adoption.

Kathleen isn’t one of the longest tenured volunteers at CASA of New Hampshire. But looking at the considerable list of children she’s advocated for in her three years as a CASA—11 children from six families—that’s hard to believe. The need for more CASA volunteers is immense, and it’s tough for Kathleen to turn down a case knowing it could mean leaving a child without anyone solely dedicated to looking out for them and their wellbeing.

Kathleen remarks, “If I had to do it all over again I would. I would definitely go through the training. I think I get more than I give to my kids. I’m proud when they sing in their high school concerts, and when they introduce me around. It will be the volunteer option I will do until I can’t do it any longer. Although maybe I won’t take on four cases at once like I have now!”

On one of her current cases, Kathleen is the advocate for a youth who has been in the protective system a number of years. Originally, the child had a male CASA, but as she got older it was agreed that she could benefit from the support of a female CASA. “She was a teenager when I started working with her,” says Kathleen, “and I assumed that I would be with her until she was 18 to 21.” This is because sadly, the adoption rate for teens is much lower than for younger children. “She’s had a rough life. But through some additional efforts it now looks like she’s going to be adopted soon. When we all got on the conference call and got to tell her that we’d found the family for her, we were all crying.”

“It’s worth the effort,” Kathleen says. “It’s worth the time you put into it, as little or as much as you can put into it. If you can only take one case, once case is still good. One case is one child or a few siblings that you can help show that somebody else cares.” She continues, “They’re hard cases, they’re really hard cases, but then it’s all worthwhile when you get a child reunited with their parents or adopted, especially if they are in their teens. She and her success make the hard days worth it. Now she has a very loving family.”

Many CASAs have their niche—an age range or set of family dynamics or circumstances where they excel and find particular gratification. Volunteers are encouraged to accept cases that are the right fit for them. While Kathleen has advocated for children of all ages (like the four-year-old with whom, she says, “we play tag until my feet can’t take anymore”), it’s working with teens that she finds most rewarding.

“With the teenagers, sometimes it’s challenging getting them to talk and open up. A six-year-old will tell you anything. But with a teenager you get a lot of ‘It’s OK. Yeah, I’m good.’ It’s challenging to build that relationship, so that they trust you and they know that you’re going to be there. But it’s the most rewarding when they finally say, ‘OK, this is what I want…’”

Kathleen builds these relationships by pointing out to her teens that CASAs are volunteers. For instance, she says, “When I explain that I can’t take them anywhere in my car because I’m a volunteer they say, ‘You’re a volunteer? Why would you do this?’ And I tell them it’s because I like young adults, and being able to be the one person who comes and talks to them. Sometimes we’re the one person in their lives who isn’t paid to be there. The older ones are a little more jaded. They see a lot of therapists and social workers, but I’m just there because I want to be there.”

Kathleen admits that it’s not always easy being a CASA. She explains, “There are nights where I lose sleep over what I’m going to say, or what I’m going to do—for example, when I’m fighting for a child’s right to stay in their school district when there are financial decisions that counteract what is in their best interest. But I believe I’m making a difference, even if it’s only one child, one year, one life at a time.”

One child, one year, one life at a time. Kathleen’s words are humble, but in her case, this can be multiplied by 11. In the history of CASA of NH, it’s over 10,000 children. 10,000 lives. But Kathleen’s message is clear: even if it was only one, all her effort, even the difficult moments, would still be worth it.

Kathleen has given so much, and she has also gained some. “I think I look at the world a little differently in some ways. Moms have it hard, dads have it hard, and the world’s not making it any easier. But I think I try to be a little bit more compassionate, a little bit more understanding. When I’m in the grocery store and there’s a mom struggling with two small children I tell her, ‘It gets better, it’ll get easier’ and ask if she’d like help loading her bags into the car, or something like that.” Add that to the long list of ways Kathleen is making a difference in the lives of children and families

If you would like to become a CASA volunteer advocate and help children, consider attending an upcoming virtual information session to learn more, or submit an application today. 

This summer, Lakes Region real estate agent Shawn Bailey will celebrate his 17th year volunteering with Court Appointed Special Advocates, or CASA, of New Hampshire. The circumstances that trigger the need for CASA volunteers, child abuse and neglect, are certainly not happy ones; but when you look at Shawn’s work, you’ll discover that there’s also much to celebrate.

When a case opens, it is because a child has suffered or been endangered due to their parents’ actions or struggles. What these children have endured is often heartbreaking, and sometimes unimaginable. But the point where a CASA is assigned to them is the time when things can begin to get better. With the right support and resources families can work toward reunifying stronger than they were before. If this isn’t possible, a path to adoption or another permanency option can be laid, often with a family the child has been with for a while and who they know and trust.

During Shawn’s time as a CASA, he has served 24 children from 15 families. He has seen stories of hope play out. Stories that he helped write. Stories that are cause for celebration.

Two in particular stand out to Shawn. “I had a case with a toddler,” he says. “The parents were fairly non-compliant with what the court asked of them, until the father went to prison. At that point, mom turned things around. She completed a drug treatment program, was able to reunify with the child, and they are still doing fantastic. I get to see her out and about from time to time and she’s a sweetheart — she’s a really good person. She’s a totally different person than I knew when she was using substances. In some of the cases the parents succeed, and that’s a great thing.”

The second case began when a woman experiencing abdominal pain went to the hospital. It turned out she was in labor — she hadn’t even known she was pregnant. The mother had been using substances for about five years. “Mom went right into a program when she got out of the hospital, and is now sober. She still has a way to go,” Shawn says, “but we’re hopeful.”

For Shawn and many other CASAs, the most meaningful part of a case comes at the one-year mark with the judge’s permanency decision. “In my experience, the children are very happy that they’re either reunifying or they’re going to be adopted. Permanency is a very happy time,” Shawn says.

If the walls of the CASA office could suddenly speak, permanency might be their first word. The Juvenile Law Center describes it this way: “Simply put, ‘permanency’ means family. It means having positive, healthy, nurturing relationships with adults who provide emotional, financial, moral, educational, and other kinds of support as youth mature into adults. Ideally, permanency takes the form of a relationship that has a legal component that provides a parent-child relationship. [It’s having a] family and support system that both lifts [the child] up and cushions them if they fall.”

Ultimately, this is what Shawn and other CASA volunteers are working toward — a permanent home where their case children can thrive. It’s work that Shawn finds incredibly satisfying. “It’s rewarding to get to know the children and help them through the hard times they’re going through. It’s amazing to see how resilient they are. Boy, if someone loves them and gives them some structure and stability, they latch right onto that, because they really have been ‘set aside,’ so to speak, because their parents are in trouble. We strive for a positive outcome for the child.” With his perseverance and dedication, Shawn has helped bring about many positive outcomes for children.

Shawn has found that his role as a CASA fits in well with his work as a real estate agent. CASAs dedicate about 10–15 hours a month to their volunteer work. This includes time spent meeting with their case child, talking with parents and other important adults in the child’s life, and presenting the vital information they gather in a written court report. Four to five times a year the CASA speaks in court to help the judge assess the progress of the case. Shawn says it isn’t difficult for him to plan his work schedule around his volunteer commitments, and vice versa.

Shawn’s commitment to children extends beyond his CASA role. He and his wife Jennifer are key supporters of the Greater Lakes Region Children’s Auction, which raises funds for local organizations that assist children (including CASA of NH). Over the years, Shawn has pitched in answering phones during the live auction, participating on a Challenge Team, and organizing toy drives. “I have a soft spot for children, pets and senior citizens, but children the most,” Shawn says. For children in hard places, that soft spot in Shawn’s heart has made a world of difference.

If you would like to become a CASA volunteer, consider attending an upcoming virtual information session to learn more, or submit an application today. 

Over the course of her 12-year service at Court Appointed Special Advocates (CASA) of New Hampshire, Alison Lawrence has gained a bit of a reputation. She’s even earned herself a nickname: The Finisher. And while this all sounds quite ominous, it’s actually much the opposite.

One of the first things you’d notice when meeting Alison is that, judging by her accent, she’s not from “around here.” In 2001, Alison and her family moved from England to New England when her husband accepted a job in New Hampshire. Since she came to the states on his work visa, Alison wasn’t allowed to obtain paid employment herself. She had been an elementary school teacher in London, so she began volunteering at her children’s school. She continued to look for volunteer opportunities and when she discovered CASA, Alison felt like it was a perfect fit.

Alison has worked on a wide array of cases. She has seen children adopted and she’s seen families reunified. She’s had cases where she and DCYF were in agreement, and others where the facts led her to a different conclusion.

In one case, Alison believed that reunification was safe and possible when DCYF felt otherwise. Ultimately the judge agreed with Alison and the family was reunified. “That was hard,” Alison says. “It felt really difficult to be in opposition to DCYF, but it was hugely satisfying to think how hard we worked to get that little girl to go home, which was not going to happen otherwise. It was really wonderful for the judge to listen and to make you feel like your thoughts matter.”

The value judges place on the CASA’s insight is one constant Alison has experienced throughout her cases. “I’ve had the judge lean across the bench to me and say, ‘So come on Alison, what do you think?’ And that’s because very often you are the one who sees that family the most. You do have a closer point of contact.” By working on only one or two cases at a time, the CASA is able to get to know the child themselves, the parents, and the various issues, needs, and family dynamics at play more acutely than perhaps anyone else working on that case. They pick up on things others might miss and they see the continuum of whether parents are making the necessary progress.

Alison says adoptions are “absolutely adorable and the most beautiful thing you’ll ever get see.” As the advocate for infant twins who were taken into care immediately from the hospital, Alison was there to see their adoption.

Sadly, Alison reports she’s witnessed a rise in the number of cases involving infants due to the opioid crises. More babies are being born substance-exposed to parents who are unable to care for them due in large part to their substance misuse. “People often say to me, ‘Oh, I don’t know how you could do that work, it would break my heart, it’s so sad.’ But I think it’s the complete opposite! It’s not sad at all. We all know these terrible things go on, but let’s make the best of what is happening. Let’s try to improve it! I saw two children get adopted into a family where they mean the world. Can you give me a better example of something with a more phenomenal outcome?”

Teenagers, on the other hand, pose their own set of hurdles. “My very first case was probably the most challenging. It was an older youth who had so many opinions on what he thought was best. When you’re in a bad situation you lash out at everybody. But as crazy as it is, I feel like sometimes I have the worst relationship with a teenager, yet they contact me when they need someone. You realize that they don’t see me as the enemy, they actually see me as being quite supportive of them.”

It’s through some of these cases and others like them that Alison earned her CASA moniker, The Finisher. As Alison attests, “if you call me and you’re in a pinch, I’ll say yes.” Once CASA staff discovered this, along with her ability to always stay neutral and to see the big picture, Alison’s phone began ringing with requests for her to step in when other CASAs had to leave a case. Alison would see these cases through to the end, ensuring each child continued to receive the attention and support that a CASA provides.

To those wondering how a CASA even begins a case, Alison advises, “Just be you. Treat this as if you weren’t doing it in a legal way, and you’re actually just a friend of the family. If you had just met somebody, what would you say to them? Just remember you’re talking to another human, and all the other stuff will come in time. It absolutely is a whole new world, and you’re learning on your feet. You’ll get there, and you’ll always have the support of people around you within the organization.”

One could spend a lifetime doing this work and still encounter new things. Having worked with 17 children on 13 different cases, Alison hasn’t “seen it all,” but her experience is considerable. So, it’s significant that she emphatically (and frequently) encourages others to consider becoming a CASA. “When people say they’ve thought about doing this, but it would be too sad, it would break their heart, I ask them, ‘is it better for you to deal with that, or for it not to be dealt with at all?’ I tell them they will be fine, and that they will have cases that are so heartwarming it will balance it all out. Yes, these are difficult situations, but we’re always aiming to get the best outcome.”

For some lucky and deserving children, The Finisher was on the job to help them reach their best outcome. For others, it could be you.

If you would like to become a CASA volunteer, consider attending an upcoming virtual information session to learn more, or submit an application today. 

Jeanmarie Foisie with her granddaughter.

When Jeanmarie Foisie discovered CASA (Court Appointed Special Advocates) of New Hampshire in 2013, she was in the grips of a pain no parent should ever have to bear. Jeanmarie and her husband had recently lost their 19-year-old son, and she felt as though she was walking through life in a fog of grief.

The Foisies were also new residents of the Granite State, which added further layers to navigate as they tried to find their bearings in their new reality.

One day, while she sat off to the side in a Starbucks as her daughter chatted with a friend, Jeanmarie looked up and she says it literally felt as if the fog lifted. Her eyes locked on a CASA of NH poster, and to Jeanmarie that poster shone a beam of hope into the darkness: a hope that would bring a healing sense of purpose through helping others.

Jeanmarie had been a teacher for 25 years in Connecticut, and technically she was retired since her move. Given that she had always worked to support the wellbeing of children, the role of a CASA immediately interested her. After much research and contemplation around whether working with abused and neglected children would help her, or if it would pain her more, she decided that this was a concrete and needed way to work through her grief. After completing the training, Jeanmarie was hooked. “It was absolutely the right path for me,” she says.

The CASA organization serves children of all ages, from days-old babies to teenagers right up until they turn 18 (in certain cases 21) and age out of state care. During her eight years as a CASA, Jeanmarie has chosen to work with a lot of teenagers. “I’m a believer in the importance of having that one trusted adult,” she says. “The most rewarding thing to me is feeling that you’ve made a connection with the child. Those relationships and that trust take a little time to build. With the little ones it doesn’t take long before they’re up in your lap, and they’re hugging you, and they embrace you pretty much right away. The teenagers are different, you absolutely have to build that trust.”

Jeanmarie distinctly remembers the first time, with her first CASA teenager, where she really won her trust. “We were in court, and the child’s mother, who was usually at the hearings despite her struggles, didn’t come. The child was anxious and worried about her mother. She was seated at one table and I was at another. She turned and looked at me and asked if I could sit with her. This was when I really felt that the girl now viewed me as a caring adult in her life.”

This is just one example of how Jeanmarie has been a positive force in her case children’s lives. Another is the girl she is working with now, who somedays calls Jeanmarie two or three times, just because she needs to know someone is listening to her. “Looking back at the teenagers I’ve worked with, sometimes they’re so untrusting. They don’t want to be in care and they’re fighting it. It’s meaningful when you can become that person who they call when they need someone to talk to.”

In the case of another girl who was soon to turn 18, Jeanmarie was able to guide the child to stay within the child protective system so she wouldn’t lose access to beneficial services. “She wanted to be out of care so, so badly,” recounts Jeanmarie. “I think the teenagers reach a point where they don’t want to be told what to do. When you can sit and reason with a child and say, ‘let’s look at what your life would look like without staying in care and without any support systems in place, and then let’s look at what it would look like if you stayed in care where you’re afforded these specific supports.’ When you can break through and have them come to the decision that is in their best interest, then I feel like I did my job.”

Jeanmarie encourages others to consider joining her as a CASA. “It’s one of the most altruistic organizations I’ve ever been connected to. It is filled with good people. When you take that risk and become a CASA, your thinking will expand.” She points out that, “If you have any trepidation, it’s okay. CASA doesn’t need you to be sure all the time. They want you to ask questions. Every uncertainty I had was answered, and that put me at ease. The court system can be hard to navigate, but you have so much support with CASA.”

Jeanmarie and her husband live on a farm raising 22 cows on a picturesque 70 acres with their daughter, Lily, and nearby to their son, daughter-in-law, and first grandchild.  In addition to Jeanmarie’s work as a CASA, the family has established other ways to help youth in their community. A couple of years ago they created a workshop program wherein they sponsor a graduating high school senior who is interested in pursuing a trade, and whose life includes some type of hardship. They match the teen with a contractor, and for two years they mentor the student and pay their salary so it’s not a burden on the contractor. In return the contractor spends time teaching the student in a culture that is positive and supportive. This program is an enduring tribute to their son, who was a carpenter.

If you would like to become a CASA volunteer, consider attending an upcoming virtual information session to learn more, or submit an application today. 

Deb Zimmermann’s determination, passion and commitment exemplify what makes CASA volunteer advocates such a gift to so many children. Her generosity of spirit and time (13 years, 40 children and 22 cases) continue to transform young lives of all ages. Her ongoing financial support has also helped further CASA’s critical mission.

Deb came to CASA after working as a residential counselor in a home for girls. She was struck by the relationship that one of the girls had with her CASA volunteer advocate and the significant impact it made on the young girl’s life. After serving on a variety of boards, Deb decided to become an advocate — as she says, “in order to serve in a more direct role.”

Time and time again, Deb’s advocacy work has illustrated just how crucial it is for children who have experienced abuse or neglect to have a CASA in their lives. There was the instance of an adolescent whose out-of-home placement wasn’t a good fit. The child didn’t want to speak up because the placement was still better than the environment he’d been removed from. However, Deb sensed that something was bothering him, and she was able to earn the youth’s trust to the point where he opened up about his concerns.

Another example of where Deb’s work made a true impact involved a child whose adoption fell though. It was just after the child’s birthday, and they were stuck in a bleak limbo while DCYF struggled to find another appropriate placement. During this dismal time, while the child struggled with feelings of rejection and abandonment, Deb was the only person who visited. A couple of times a week she’d go to play cards, keep the child company, and let them know someone cared. Though heartbreaking for Deb to witness at the time, the case had a happy conclusion, and the child is now living with a relative. As Deb can attest to, “Letting a child know you are in their corner can make a world of difference.”

The “secret” to Deb’s longstanding service with CASA is actually quite evident: she’s here for the children. As she says, “The kids are the best. They’re what keep me doing this. I’ve met some amazing, awesome kids, and established meaningful relationships. It’s incredible to see their resiliency, and their capacity to forgive. Seeing how traumatized they are, and their ability to come out the other side, has taught me lessons for my own life.”

Deb explains that the CASA volunteer role is for someone who is willing to put the work in to get the emotional rewards. “You’ll be making a difference and doing something meaningful that changes people’s lives. It’s not for the faint of heart, you have to be willing—willing to go to the court, to schools, to meetings. You have to be willing to devote the time, to be there for the kids, and to come in with an open mind. But if you want to help people, this is the way to do it.”

Deb and her husband Christian, President of the New England Group for CRH Americas Materials Inc., have also been donors to CASA for a number of years, and Pike Industries (part of CRH) has sponsored CASA events.

If you would like to become a CASA volunteer, consider attending an upcoming virtual information session to learn more, or submit an application today.