“WE KNOW A CHILD WITH AN ADVOCATE IS FOUR TIMES MORE
LIKELY TO GRADUATE FROM HIGH SCHOOL”
ERICA FISCHER-KASLANDER
“We know a child with an advo-
cate is four times more likely to
graduate from high school,” she
says. “This helps the community as a
whole. We become a healthier, more
stable community.”
SHE WANTS PEOPLE TO KNOW YOU
DON’T NEED A DEGREE TO MAKE A
DIFFERENCE.
A college degree in social work
isn’t required to volunteer at Passaic
County CASA, she says. Those who
wish to help children in the foster care
system as they find a permanent home
must be 21 years old, go through
a background check and attend a
36-hour training session, says Fischer-
Kaslander. Volunteers must also have
some flexibility in their schedules to
meet with the children. ■
Donations that Passaic County CASA receives
in May will be matched up to $150,000
by come part of a $150,000 match by
donors, Craig and Pam Goldman, to help
fund training and supervision for new volun-
teer advocates. For more information about
upcoming volunteer training sessions, visit
passaiccountycasa.org
IN SERVICE TO THE COMMUNITY (Top) Wayne resident Erica Fischer-Kaslander speaks at the
Paterson Rotary Club’s 100th anniversary event at Westmount Country Club in 2013, when she served
as its president. (Above) Fischer-Kaslander, right, on the job at Passaic County CASA.
WAYNE MAGAZINE MAY 2019
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