The CASA Connection
Learn more about what’s going on at CASA Project Worcester County, in our Central MA communities, and with our partners by reading our NEW monthly blog! Have a topic you’d like us to write about or want to be considered for a featured spot? Email communications@thecasaproject.org!
Champions for Children’s Powerful Impact
CASA Project Worcester County's 7th annual signature fundraising event
I’ve been involved with CASA for eight years, and my journey started in the most unexpected fashion. A fellow volunteer from another organization once told me, “You’d make a fantastic Court Appointed Special Advocate (CASA volunteer).” That night, I went home, did a little online research, and the rest is history.
Since then, I’ve worn many hats within CASA, and it has truly become the one place I try never to say “no” to. I served first as an advocate, then in my current role as a member of the Board of Directors, and have served on multiple steering and event committees during that time. For the past four years, I’ve had the privilege of chairing our Champions for Children celebration.
I often say that CASA is my most impactful work. The team at CASA is actively changing the trajectory of a child’s life and future and making sure their everyday experience is safer and a little brighter. What CASA’s work means to me is hard to articulate, because it is so much more than a single role or responsibility. It is the place where my time, treasure, and energy directly translate into more promising futures and stronger voices for CASA youth who need that boost the most. Every year, their Champions for Children event is a compelling reinforcement of that investment.
CASA Project Worcester County’s 7th annual Champions for Children celebration: A Record-breaking Night of Impact and Inspiration
For two consecutive years (2023 and 2024), CASA’s Champions for Children celebration has been voted Worcester Business Journal’s “Best Nonprofit Fundraiser Event” in their Best of Business Awards, and has either been the winner or a finalist in the “Best Local Event” category of the Worcester Telegram & Gazette’s Community Choice Awards. The signature fundraising event continues to inspire supporters, celebrate unwavering advocates and partners—and keep guests on their toes! Most importantly, it raises vital funding to sustain the mission of CASA Project Worcester County, which advocates for the best interests of youth in foster care, amplifies their voices in court, and supports them on their paths to permanency.
CASA returned to the top floors of Synergy’s Glass Tower in Downtown Worcester to host the evening’s celebration. Inspired by the venue’s ongoing renovations, the team was encouraged to reimagine the event – from vibrant décor to new guest experiences with a goal to set the stage for an unforgettable evening.
Reminiscing the Celebratory Evening
The evening began with an exclusive VIP cocktail hour where guests with that ticket level enjoyed upscale hors d’oeuvres, a raw bar, a Mystery Reveal (a giveaway where everyone is a winner), live entertainment, passed champagne, and valet parking. An hour later, the remainder of the guests arrived, and all enjoyed the event’s signature feature: drool-worthy multicultural cuisine presented by local restaurateurs. NEW this year, a Live Auction and Last Chance paddle sweep were incorporated. The former gave guests a chance to win trips to Costa Rica and Italy, gather in a WooSox suite, or experience the first-ever Vivienne-hosted private chef’s dinner. The latter was an opportunity for guests to pledge $100 to be entered to win a Pavé diamond link bracelet, generously donated by Sachs Jewelers, valued at $4,000. The evening culminated in an After Party where guests enjoyed delectable desserts, a coffee and tea bar, and dynamic music on the dance floor. Champions for Children also featured an Online Auction for guests and non-guests alike to participate in.
Champions for Children embodied the celebration of community, generosity, and shared purpose, and our team is astonished by the collective dedication and powerful impact.
This tremendous celebration would not be possible without the event sponsors, including Synergy, Vocero Hispano Newspaper, Central Mass Productions, Sachs Jewelers, the Flynn Family, the Wyman Family, Vivienne, Plumb House, Carr Financial Group, Saint-Gobain, The Hanover Insurance Group, and Infinity Events. Their unwavering dedication to the mission and meaningful partnerships with CASA year-round have changed the lives of countless youth in Worcester County.
Champions for Children also brought together city and state officials, including Mayor Joe Petty, Councilors Khrystian King and Luis Ojeda, School Committee members Molly McCullough and Sue Mailman, State Senate President Emerita Harriette Chandler, State Senators Robyn Kennedy and Michael Moore, State Representative David LeBoeuf, and Governor’s Councilor Paul DePalo. This outpouring of support underscored the importance of CASA’s work at the local and state level.
In addition to bringing together elected officials, sponsors, volunteers, vendors, and community supporters, we were grateful for the opportunity to award select honorees who help make this vital work possible.
- The Senator Chandler Award: Senator Robyn Kennedy
- Champion for Children Award: Governor’s Councilor Paul DePalo
- Service Award: The Honorable Anthony Marotta
- Spotlight Award: The Hanover Insurance Group, represented by Kimberly Salmon and Dennis Kerrigan
- Ambassador Award: Phil Smith, Phil Smith Photography
A Surprise Unveiling, A Catalyst for Collective Generosity
Elevated by the venue (both physically and figuratively), the evening’s celebrations once again exceeded expectations and fundraising goals. During the program, we unveiled a $100,000 matching gift pledged by Lee, Carol, and Matthew Tesconi, providing CASA with the opportunity to DOUBLE our community impact with your help. The campaign launched during Champions for Children and raised over $40,000 in just one evening! CASA is confident that with your help, we can reach the $100,000 goal together before the end of 2025.
As stated by CASA’s extraordinary Executive Director, Julie Bowditch, “Creating a more just world for youth and families is at the heart of our work. When our community comes together with a shared purpose, the collective impact truly changes lives.”
This annual signature fundraiser emphasizes that point: with a shared purpose, we can have a magnificent collective impact and the power to provide vulnerable youth with life-changing, holistic, individualized advocacy for months and years to come.
Thank you for being part of this journey with me. Together, we are champions for children.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Liz Estabrooks is a driven entrepreneur whose versatility, tenacity, and dedication have been instrumental in launching and growing Jax Seafood, a premium seafood business. Jax Seafood operates at local farmers markets and provides wholesale options through its online platform.
Beyond her professional accomplishments, Liz has made a significant impact through her extensive community involvement. Throughout her career and philanthropic efforts, she has helped raise and facilitate growth totaling in the tens of millions of dollars. However, her contributions extend well beyond financial success.
She served as a Court Appointed Special Advocate (CASA) volunteer before joining the nonprofit’s Board of Directors. She has also served as the Event Chair for CASA’s signature fundraiser, Champions for Children, for the last four years.
Liz also volunteers her time with several other nonprofit organizations, including the Make-A-Wish Foundation, the UMass Cancer Center, and the UMass Cancer Walk and Run.
As an adoptee from Colombia, Liz is committed to supporting others on similar journeys. She mentors and coaches fellow adoptees throughout the search and reunification process. In 2018, she was reunited with members of her own biological family—a deeply personal experience that continues to inspire her advocacy work.
Through her leadership in both business and community service, Liz exemplifies a deep commitment to purpose, integrity, and meaningful impact.
Learn more about getting involved:
