Charles “Chip” Giamo
It is with profound sadness that we remember Charles “Chip” Giamo, whose passing leaves an immeasurable void at Bergen CASA. For more than 20 years, Chip was a passionate advocate for foster children and a trusted mentor, bringing compassion, wisdom, and unwavering dedication to every child, volunteer, and staff member he encountered. He cared deeply about Bergen CASA, helping to train new Advocates, supporting volunteers, and always making time to check in on our team. Having witnessed the organization’s growth over the years, he understood what made Bergen CASA strong and worked tirelessly to help it thrive. To us, Chip was more than a volunteer and Board member. He was family. His kindness, generosity, and steadfast belief that every child deserves a voice will continue to inspire our work for years to come.
We champion foster children in court and in life
Bergen County CASA (Court Appointed Special Advocates) is a non-profit organization that trains volunteers to champion the needs of abused and neglected children. CASAs advocate for the best interest of Bergen County’s foster children and speak up for them so they have a voice in their futures. Bergen CASA’s goal is to ensure each of these children can have a safe, loving, permanent home.
Gear up for school!
Every child deserves to begin the school year feeling confident and prepared. For children in foster care, a new backpack and school supplies provide more than the essentials. They offer comfort, dignity, and confidence on the first day of school.
Your donation helps provide backpacks and back-to-school essentials for foster children throughout Bergen County. Whenever possible, we also honor each child’s favorite color or style, because even small personal touches help a child feel seen. Please help give every child the strong start they deserve.
We need CASAs
Every child deserves someone who will stand up for them. In Bergen County, children who have experienced abuse or neglect often enter foster care during the most uncertain time of their lives. CASAs becomes the one consistent adult focused solely on the child’s best interests, ensuring their voice is heard and helping them move toward a safe, permanent, and nurturing home.
If you have compassion, commitment, and the willingness to show up, you can make a lasting difference.
“CASA volunteers play a unique role on behalf of some of our most vulnerable children.
Their commitment, vigilance and persistence offer hope where there has been little.”
– Marian Wright Edelman, Founder of the Children’s Defense Fund
What is a CASA?
CASA Advocate volunteers work one-on-one with children in foster care, and give these vulnerable children a voice by advocating for their best interests. As a CASA volunteer, you will collaborate with professionals from different fields to ensure judges have the facts they need to make informed decisions. If you are interested in helping to change a child’s story for the better, we would like to hear from you.
Our impact
The human and financial resources behind CASA of Bergen County (Bergen CASA) help turn around hundreds of young lives every year. Our impact is seen every day, in the many thousands of hours our advocates donate to their cases. Our non-profit organization leads the continued growth and development of a nationwide network of CASA programs that recruit, train and support volunteers.
Donated advocate hours
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Children reunified or adopted
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Recommendations accepted by the courts
Donate to help kids
There are many ways to support our programs that benefit the children we help. You may make a one-time or recurring monetary donation, work with your employer to establish a matching grant program, or become a corporate sponsor. The funds help us fulfill our mission and make the greatest impact possible for foster children from our Bergen County communities.
Thank you to our sponsors
