Superheroes abound at CASA Kane County’s 12th annual Superheroes luncheon

CASA Kane County hosted its 12th annual Superheroes Luncheon on Nov. 6 at Waubonsee Community College. The event brought together 250 community members, volunteers and supporters to learn more about CASA Kane County’s mission to advocate for the voices of children in foster care.

This year, the organization welcomed Josh Shipp as the keynote speaker.

Shipp is a former at-risk foster youth who overcame significant challenges to become a renowned author, speaker and global youth empowerment expert.

He is the creator of a documentary TV series on A&E showcasing his work with youth and families.

“It was an inspiring Superheroes event,” CASA Executive Director Jim Di Ciaula said in a news release. “Josh was an amazing speaker and really connected with the audience when he shared the impact his foster parents had on his life. We are grateful for everyone who took the time to share this experience with us today. We are truly blessed.”

Shipp has written two bestsellers: “The Grown-Up’s Guide to Teenage Humans,” which won the Nautilus Gold Award, and “The Teen’s Guide to World Domination.” Over the years, he has been the keynote speaker at events for parents, educators and social workers, talking to more than two million people, with audiences as large as 55,000, according to the release.

Shipp‘s success is a testament to the impact of caring adults, including teachers, counselors and foster parents, according to the release.

To reach as many students as possible, Shipp trains other speakers through Youth Speaker University, helping them use their own stories to make an impact.

His social-emotional learning curriculum is used in hundreds of classrooms while his free newsletter offers practical strategies to more than 200,000 parents, educators and social workers.

The event concluded with Shipp asking the crowd to join him in support of CASA Kane County by volunteering, donating and/or connecting to the organization, according to the release.

Attendees had the opportunity to speak with staff and CASA volunteers after the event to learn more about what level of involvement was right for them.

CASA Kane County is a nonprofit organization that trains and supervises Court Appointed Special Advocate (CASA) volunteers who advocate for the best interests of children who have experienced abuse and neglect, according to the release.

For more information, visit casakanecounty.org.