We champion the best interests of infants, children and teens impacted by, or at risk of, abuse or neglect.
One organization.
Three programs.
The Court Appointed Special Advocates program, CASA of Passaic and Union Counties, recruits, screens, trains, and supervises volunteer advocates from the local community who champion the best interests of children in the child welfare system. These advocates focus on the individual needs of each child and advocate for those interests throughout the legal and child welfare processes. Advocates commit to serve a child until they have a safe and permanent home.
Operating in Passaic, Hudson, and Essex counties, the New Jersey Safe Babies Court Team (NJSBCT) program provides support to infants and toddlers ages 0-3 and their families in the court system. NJSBCT works to improve outcomes for very young children in foster care or at risk of removal from home. NJSBCT is focused on minimizing trauma and its impact on early development by improving collaboration between the judicial and child welfare systems.
The Open Door Store program provides new clothing, shoes, toys, and personal care items for babies, children, and teens in the child welfare system. No money is ever accepted; infants, children and teens, their caretakers, and their advocates are able to ‘shop’ for free. The Open Door Store gives children in foster care the opportunity to choose new clothing for themselves and fosters a sense of ‘normalcy’ for children who have experienced tremendous turmoil in their lives.
Stories in Color Art Exhibition
Announcing Stories in Color, a special exhibition telling the stories of children in foster care through their art. Join us Sunday, October 26 from 2-4pm, Passaic County Arts Center.
Winter Coat Drive
Every child we serve deserves to have a warm winter coat. This year, our goal is to collect 450 new coats to ensure every child who needs one, has one. We're calling for coats for girls, coats for boys, coats for young children, and coats for teens — especially teens.
Coat Drop Off: Monday-Friday at 415 Hamburg Turnpike, D2, Wayne or Tuesday & Friday at 1143 East Jersey Street, 2F, Elizabeth. Any questions, contact Diego Rojas at diego@childfocusnj.org or call (973) 832-4002.
Or Order Online: If dropping off a new coat is not convenient, shop our Amazon Wishlist!
Impact Report 2024-2025
During our financial year July 2024-June 2025, our volunteers and programs made a huge impact on the lives of children in foster care.
