The CASA Project, Inc.100 Grove StreetWorcester, MA 01605Tel: 508­757­9877Fax: 508­792­1542www.CasaWorcesterCounty.org

Grants Awarded to CASA in2014: George I. Alden Trust

Community Foundation of NorthCentral Massachusetts

The Fred Harris Daniels Foundation The Robert & Joan DircksFoundation The Ruth H. and Warren A.Ellsworth Foundation

The Fletcher Foundation

The Jack & PaulineFreeman Foundation

George F. & Sybil H. FullerFoundation

The Greater Worcester CommunityFoundation Hanover Insurance

Hoche­Scofield Foundation

Friends of CASA, Our 17th ANNUAL CASA GOLF TOURNAMENT was a hugesuccess! We raised approximately $70,000, had 124 golfers, anda lot of fun on a beautiful day in Sutton, MA. We will keep youposted about our 18th Annual CASA Golf Tournament which willbe held in June 2016 and again at Pleasant Valley Country Club.

Special thanks to our Honorary Chairman Joseph Early; our GolfCommittee, Serge DeBari, Ed Connor Art Lindberg and AlBisceglia; and to our Tournament Sponsors The Dunn FamilyCharitable Foundation, Jack and Marci Williams ­ Endowmentfor Wednesday's Chlid, TD Bank, Bisceglia, Steiman andFudeman and Unibank.

We are so grateful to all who work so hard for the children.

Sue Ellen

Ludcke Foundation

Massachusetts Bar Foundation

Mildred McEvoy Foundation The MENTOR Network The George H. & Jane MifflinMemorial Fund

Milford National Bank CharitableFoundation

National CASA Association

The George and Alice RichFoundation

Rockwell Foundation

St. Francis Community Healthcare

Southbridge Savings Bank

Stoddard Charitable Trust

TJX Charitable Foundation

United Way of CentralMassachusetts United Way of Southbridge,Sturbridge & Charlton United Way of Webster/Dudley Webster Five Foundation The George Wells Foundation

Listening Groups for Advocates

We normally think that we always listen to you, but on the datesbelow, we will REALLY listen to you. So will you join us and talkwith us about:

­ How we can help you to do your job better;­ What changes we can make in training or continuingtraining to better prepare you for the work that you do.­ Do we need regular listening groups throughout theyear?

We know there may be many other ideas that you would liketo share with us which will help make the ways in which werecruit, train and support you much more effective. So pleasejoin us

­ Wednesday, July 29, 2015 from 1:00 ­ 3:00 p.m.;­ Thursday, August 6, 2015 from 5:00 ­ 7:00 p.m.

We will have refreshments ­ please join us at the CASAoffice.

***CASA News***

Continuing Education for CASA Volunteers and

Staff

Our Continuing Education sessions will resume on September 9,2015. Please watch for our speaker announcement! AS A REMINDER: Unless otherwise noted, please mark your calendars for the 2ndWednesday of every month at 1:00 p.m. at the CASA Office, 4thfloor. Sessions last approximately 60­90 minutes. Beverages and a lightsnack will be provided. No registration is required. Because weather andemergencies can alter these trainings, please call our office to confirm. We're looking forward to seeing you at each training and learningtogether!

Please Spread the Word!Upcoming Volunteer Training Sessions

CASA Office Worcester

September 2015Mondays and Wednesdays

September 14 and 14September 21 and 23September 28 and 30

October/November 2015

Saturday 9:00 a.m. ­ 4:00 p.m.Tuesdays and Thursdays 4:00 p.m. ­ 7:30 p.m.

October 24October 27 and 29November 3

Do you know anyone who would make a great CASA/GAL? Please share the above information! For more information, please call Sinead Fitzmaurice at 508­757­9877.

The CASA Project had a VERY special visitor come to theoffice for one of the nicest reasons we can possibly think of: tohelp CASA children! Ethan Most, age 5 from Sutton, and his mom Kristina (acurrent CASA advocate) made time in their busy summerschedule to visit us and bring with them Ethan's hard­earnedsavings that he decided he wanted to donate to CASA to helpchildren who do not have safe and permanent homes.

Ethan had been counting down the days to when he couldactually come by with his bags filled with money to show usall how much he had saved from helping mom and dad outaround the house as well as big strong chores like taking outthe garbage for his grandmother in New York. Our eyes grewlarge when we saw how much Ethan had crammed into thosebags, and we decided right away that we wanted to makeEthan a Very Special Friend of CASA (V.S.F.O.C.) Themoney he donated will help us to help more children find safepermanent homes. We gave him his own CASA ID lanyard,and we know that he is already planning a return trip to dropoff some books and puzzles for CASA children. We want tothank him again for being such a generous, considerate and

kind­hearted boy for thinking of others less fortunate. Ethan, you are most definitely our hero of the day!

WE NEED YOUR HELP

We are aware that foster families are often in need ofsome basic necessities when a child is placed in theircare, often in an emergency situation. We would like togather some supplies to keep in the CASA office so thatwhen a CASA advocate becomes aware of a fosterfamily's needs, we may be able to provide some of thesebasic items. We are looking for donations of: baby wipes bottlessippy cups pacifiersspoons/forks school suppliesbackpacks first aid kits

children's toothbrushes toothpastehairbrushes shampoo body wash small stuffed animals If you can donate any of these items, or if you know of afoster family that is in need of any of these items, pleasecontact Lynn Barrieau at (508)757­9877 ext.20 or byemail: ltesconi@thecasaproject.org.

Thank you for help!!

***Community News***

The Salvation Army's summer feeding program hasbegun for summertime lunches for children 18 and

under. Attached is a flyer for you to pass on.

Please spread the word!

Salvation Army Summertime meals

S.O.S.

Save Our StreetsCity Hall Common July 26th 5pm

Peace Rally and March

A peaceful gathering to build community and start amovement of non­violence in this city. The violencetouches everyone but ESPECIALLY the mothers, andfathers, and other family members who have to burychildren. Come out and support one another. Comeout and support a community that so desperatelyneeds peace. There will be marches beginning in

various locations to converge on City Hall Commonat 5pm. Hear from family members and have a

balloon letting to honor those killed on ALL sides ofthis tragedy.

Trauma Sensitive Yoga Sessions

Dates: August 4, 2015­September 8, 2015Time: 6:00pm

Appropriate for: Adult women and teen girls whohave experienced acute stress, anxiety, PTSD, acutetrauma, bullying, etc. What: The main objectives of Trauma Sensitive Yoga(TSY) classes are to help participants feel

comfortable in their bodies, to learn self­regulationskills, and to improve their ability to direct attentionaway from ruminative thought processes. Trauma­sensitive yoga is a way for us to safelyexperiment with having a body. Through yoga wecan experiment with:BreathingMovingStrengtheningStretchingResting

Yoga Mat Available for UseChair Massages Available Upon Request Prior toClass Elizabeth Belliveau, MSW, LICSW, Owner Enlightened Interventions, LLCAn Integrative Mental Health and Wellness Practice51 Union Street, Suite 222Worcester, MA 01608Ph: 508­317­2323Fax: 508­519­5619enlightenedinterventions@gmail.comwww.enlightenedinterventionsllc.org

HelpOurKids provides support to children in foster care, givingthem things beyond the basics that enrich their lives. HelpOurKidsalso helps them to establish independent lives through providinghousewares, furniture, and the things to enable them to be self­sufficient. They also provide music lessons, athletic equipment,duffle bags so they don't have to use trash bags, a college tour tobroaden their horizons, a crib bank to respond quickly for infantplacement, the event Fitting For The Future for special occasionclothing and many other forms of support beyond the basics.

Please visit their website for more information: www.helpourkidsinc.org

School, Summer Camp and Respite Program Listing

for Children with Special Needs See Attached

Summer Resource Guide

**JOB OPPORTUNITIES**

Outpatient Clinical Manager ­ Veterans, Inc.

Veterans Inc., New England's largest provider of services to veterans and theirfamilies, is seeking an experienced mental health clinician to serve as ClinicalManager of Independence Hall. This newly licensed outpatient behavioral healthtreatment center for veterans and their families is located on 22 pristine acres inShrewsbury, MA within easy access to major highways. The Clinical Manager ofIndependence Hall will be responsible for the management of outpatientbehavioral health treatment services for veterans and their families, as well as

have the opportunity to help develop and grow a full array of treatment servicesincluding day treatment and residential treatment services in the coming years. This position will also help to ensure that the agency is able to meet thestandards necessary for licensure by the Massachusetts Department of PublicHealth. The qualified candidate must have strong leadership and team buildingskills, a dependable work ethic and the ability to multi­task and prioritize. This is a full time position with full benefits (health, dental, vision, 403B, paidtime off, short/long term disability and life insurance, etc.). Veterans Inc. is anEqual Opportunity Employer. Diversity is valued and welcomed on all levelswithin the organization. Veterans are encouraged to apply but veteran status isnot a requirement.

Job Description Outpatient Clinical Manager

Abby's House

Part­time Accountant Abby's House is seeking a part­time Accountant to join their organizationsupport their mission to provide shelter, housing, and advocacy to homeless,battered, and low­income women, with or without children. Responsibilitiesinclude: developing, implementing, and maintaining accounting systems,policies, and procedures; performing a variety of accounting transactions;compiling, analyzing, and reporting accounting data for management and boardcommittees. To view the job description, please see the attachment or go towww.abbyshouse.org. Abby's House Job Description

The Worcester County Food Bank is hiring an

Operations Associate and Director of Operations. More information on these jobs and how to apply

can be found at the Food Bank's website,http://foodbank.org/meet­us/employment/

***IN EVERY ISSUE***

RSVP Worcester Area VolunteersNeed help with gas payments for volunteer work?

RSVP Worcester Area Volunteers is a non­profit organization that is a part of theSenior Corps program and sponsored nationally by the Corporation for Nationaland Community Service (CNCS). Located at the Worcester Senior Center,RSVP is locally sponsored by Family Services of Central Massachusetts. Since1971, RSVP has been connecting people age 55 and over with opportunities thatfocus on compelling needs in the Worcester area. RSVP has more than 500members who serve at over seventy local public and non­profit agencies in thegreater Worcester area, including the CASA Project.In addition to helping match individuals with local volunteer opportunities RSVPalso offers its members the following benefits:

CIMA Accident and Liability InsuranceMileage ReimbursementVolunteer RecognitionMonthly NewsletterTraining Opportunities and Professional Development

To learn more about enrollment in the RSVP program please call (508) 791­RSVP or email Info@RSVPWorcester.org

RSVP Worcester Area Volunteers

Need help with gas payments for volunteer work?

RSVP Worcester Area Volunteers is a non­profit organization that is a part of theSenior Corps program and sponsored nationally by the Corporation for Nationaland Community Service (CNCS). Located at the Worcester Senior Center,RSVP is locally sponsored by Family Services of Central Massachusetts. Since1971, RSVP has been connecting people age 55 and over with opportunities thatfocus on compelling needs in the Worcester area. RSVP has more than 500members who serve at over seventy local public and non­profit agencies in thegreater Worcester area, including the CASA Project.In addition to helping match individuals with local volunteer opportunities RSVPalso offers its members the following benefits:

CIMA Accident and Liability InsuranceMileage ReimbursementVolunteer RecognitionMonthly NewsletterTraining Opportunities and Professional Development

To learn more about enrollment in the RSVP program please call (508) 791­RSVP or email Info@RSVPWorcester.org

The Boston Globe

GRANT(Globe Readers and Non­Profits Together)

A Great Way to Support CASA!

About GRANT: GRANT enables readers to show their support for non­profits bychoosing which ones are given free advertising space inThe Boston Globe.

Seven­day newspaper subscribers' vouchers are valued at $100;all other subscribers (including website­only readers) receivevouchers valued at $50. It is up to each of our readers to decide which charity deserves hisor her voucher the most. The organizations with the highestdonations will be able to spread the word about their valuablework through free advertising in The Boston Globe. Not a subscriber?Subscribe today to get access to The Boston Globe's high­quality,in­depth journalism and breaking news as well as access tomember exclusive content and programs like GRANT. Go to: The Boston Globe GRANT Program

For all of you who use Amazon.com this is a simple and automaticway for you to support your favorite charitable organization. If youindicate, Amazon will donate a portion of the purchase price to

your favorite charitable organization. You can choose from nearlyone million organizations to support­ including the CASA Project.

For more information and to get started please visithttp://smile.amazon.com/about

NATIONAL CASA ASSOCIATION PARTNERS WITH SMILE FORA LIFETIME FOUNDATION

The Smile for a Lifetime Foundation (S4L), is an internationalnonprofit organization that provides orthodontic care and freebraces to underserved children with financial challenges andspecial orthodontic needs.For more information, please goto Smile for a Lifetime, or call the CASA office.

There is currently an Urgent Needfor Foster Families in Worcester & the Surrounding

Towns

Long Term...Short TermChange the Future of a Child in Your Community!

Did you Know?:

­That you can rent or own your own home ­You can decide on the age or gender of the child

­You may be single, married, partnered, divorced or widowedto become a foster parent

­Foster families can decide to provide 10 day short termstays or longer

­All inquiries are handled individually and in confidence

Please Call Maria Benitez at 508­929­2086 or Roxanne Johnson­Cruz at 508­929­2125 for more information

1­800­KIDS­508www.mass.gov/dcf

Rein in a Dream

Therapeutic Horsemanship Center

­ Twenty years of success working with children with a wide range of challenges. ­ Serving children as young as two years old, as well as adults with: depression, anxiety disorders, attention deficit disorder, Autism spectrum disorders, learning challenges­ Incorporating animals in a therapeutic setting.

See attached flyer for details

Rein In A Dream

CASA Worcester County is on Facebook!

CASA Worcester County is on Facebook! Please sign in to your Facebook account and follow usat www.facebook.com/CasaProjectWorcester. We hope to share the amazingwork that our volunteers do every day on behalf of abused and neglected children

in Worcester County. We will update the page frequently and let you know ofCASA news and happenings.

If you are familiar with Facebook and could help us enhance/upgrade our page,please let us know by emailing Kris at kwilhelmy@thecasaproject.org.

If you do not already have an existing Facebook account signing up is easy andfree. Go to https://www.facebook.com/ to sign up today.

Worcester Community Connection Parent Guide toCommunity Services

The Worcester Community Connection Parent Guide to Community Services inEnglish and Spanish are 4 ½ x 5 ½ inch guides that parents and serviceproviders can carry around with them that put lots of community resource

information at their fingertips

Please place your orders now!

The Cost of the new English and Spanish guides is $2.00 each for AgencyProviders($1.00 each for quantities of 20 or more) Both guides are FREE for Worcester parents (one copy per person).

(Please make checks payable to YOU Inc.)

Parents can stop in to pick up a free copy of the guide at:

The WCCC Resource & Referral CenterAffiliated with YOU Inc.

484 Main Street (the Denholm Building), Suite 460(4th floor)Worcester, MA 01608

Mondays ­ Fridays, 8:30 ­ 4:30pm

Orders must be picked up in person ­ we are unable to mail copies.Please call 508­796­1411

or email the order form to our intake worker Amanda Beeso atabeeso@worcesterccc.org

NCASA MagazineNational CASA's Magazine has decided to "go green" and will publish theirmonthly magazine, The Connection, exclusively online. Please emailtheconnection@nationalcasa.org to be added to an email list to receive emailswhen the online version is updated.

Mentoring Programs in Worcester

Please click on the link below to see an updated listing of Mentoring Programsoffered in Worcester.

Mentoring Programs

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The CASA Project, Inc. | 100 Grove Street | 4th Floor | Worcester | MA | 01605