These holiday cards help bring cheer to foster children

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“I’ve just always loved children’s drawings, because that’s their voice,” says Lisa Barsky Firsker, executive director of Court Appointed Special Advocates in Morristown, which supports foster children in Morris and Sussex counties.

Joseph, age 8, created the drawing for this holiday card for CASA.

Through a new “kids helping kids” program, local youngsters are using the voices of their artwork to raise funds for CASA and the children for whom it advocates. Last year, CASA served 354 children.

Firsker leads educational programs for children at local schools and houses of worship, teaching them about the importance of families. “I want to do education and community outreach,” she explains.

She invites children attending the programs to draw and donate pictures, which CASA has turned into tribute cards to sell. For the holidays, CASA recently debuted a $15 set of eight festive cards featuring children’s drawings that can be ordered online here 

Funds raised help pay for volunteers’ 10 weeks of training and for items for foster children such as holiday gifts, prom attire and backpacks with school supplies, “so they can have some of their childhood back,” Firsker says. The New Jersey Division of Youth and Family Services “provides for their living expenses in foster care, but none of these ‘extras.’”  

This is among eight holiday cards available from CASA. Proceeds will aid foster children in Morris and Sussex counties.

This spring, CASA’s children’s artwork will be exhibited at the second Morristown Green Children’s Art Show, which will open on April 27 at St. Peter’s Episcopal Church. The community’s children will have an opportunity to create drawings to donate to the program on that day. The art show will run through May 12, when St. Peter’s will host a day of arts workshops for children.

Anyone interested in participating in the art show or arts day can contact Sharon Sheridan at MGKids@sharonsheridan.com.

 

 

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