18 / matters magazine / summer 2026 Experience the exciting and reward- ing world of fencing at our state-of-the-art climate controlled facility with nationally and internationally recognized coaches and fencers. Fencing New Jersey Fencing Alliance 229 Hilton Avenue • Maplewood CLASSES • SUMMER CAMPS • PARTIES NJFencingAlliance.com 973.762.6363 For over 25 years, NJFA has been providing the training for its State, National, World & Olympic Champions Bring this ad to receive a free lesson care, Peskin helped her prepare for the interview process by practicing questions with her, building her confidence and encouraging her through mo ments of uncertainty. That persistence eventually helped Anderson secure one of the final spots in the program. To day, she lives there with her son, continuing to work toward nursing school and long-term stabil ity, while Peskin remains one of the steady con stants in her life. “I don’t want my life without Courtney in it,” Peskin says. That kind of encouragement and consistency can be transformative. “That’s why advocates matter,” says longtime Maplewood resident Ed Schwarz, who has wit nessed it firsthand. Before becoming a CASA Essex County board member, Schwarz spent years serving as an advo cate himself. A Newark native, who later taught in the city’s public schools, Schwarz became involved with CASA after searching for a meaningful way to support vulnerable children locally. As a CASA advocate, Schwarz was assigned to cases involving children navigating profound instability, trauma, abuse and neglect – some of which made headlines across New Jersey. Among them was a heartbreaking case involving three severely abused children, in which Schwarz served as a CASA advocate for one of the two sur viving siblings. The case exposed devastating fail ures within New Jersey’s child welfare system. Cases like this intensified public scrutiny sur rounding child protection in New Jersey and be CASA volunteer Joy Peskin holds Anderson’s son Jakari. came part of a broader reckoning that ultimately led to sweeping statewide reform, including the creation of the New Jersey Department of Chil dren and Families and the restructuring of the for mer Division of Youth and Family Services, now known as Child Protection and Permanency. Schwarz says “advocacy is often found in qui eter moments too – decisions that may never make headlines, yet can still alter the trajectory of a child’s life.” Years later, Schwarz was still advocating for that same child. By then, the boy was living in a Bergen County group home and preparing to move into a foster placement in Newark. After visiting the prospec tive foster family, Schwarz became concerned about what uprooting him from his existing school and support system could mean. “He was thriving where he was,” Schwarz re calls. “I kept thinking, if we move him now, every thing changes.” Schwarz advocated in court for the boy to re main in his current school despite the foster place ment move. The judge agreed, arranging transpor tation so the child could continue attending the same school and maintain the stability, routine and support system that had helped him begin to thrive.
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