Expanding Advocacy for Girls in Foster Care

CASA Essex is proud to share that we have been awarded a grant from the Jewish Women’s Foundation of New Jersey (JWF-NJ) to launch SAFE Futures – Advocacy & Empowerment for Girls in Foster Care. This investment recognizes both the urgent needs and the untapped potential of girls and young women in foster care.

Girls in foster care face complex and heightened risks, including exposure to trafficking, unhealthy relationships, and early pregnancy that are often compounded by trauma and a lack of consistent, supportive relationships. This initiative responds directly to those realities by equipping CASA volunteer advocates with specialized training and connecting youth to critical resources that promote safety, confidence, and long-term stability.

Through SAFE Futures, CASA Essex will strengthen how we support girls in foster care by providing our advocates with specialized training and expanding access to critical resources. This initiative focuses on key areas including trauma-informed advocacy, trafficking prevention, healthy relationship building, and access to reproductive health information.

At its core, this work is about ensuring that girls in foster care are not only protected in moments of crisis, but are empowered to build confidence, set boundaries, and navigate their futures with greater stability and support. By training more than 100 advocates and reaching over 160 girls, this effort will create a ripple effect—strengthening outcomes for youth both now and in the years ahead.

This grant represents more than funding; it is an investment in expanding CASA Essex’s impact and deepening our commitment to delivering advocacy that is responsive, informed, and rooted in the real experiences of the children we serve.

As we continue building momentum in our 40th year, partnerships like this allow us to grow in meaningful ways and ensure that every child, and especially those most vulnerable, has the support they need to thrive.