CASAN event at South Burlington Library. Wednesday, April 8, 2026

10 hours ago
1 min read

The Chittenden Asylum Seekers Assistance Network (CASAN) is a volunteer group that welcomes people seeking asylum who are in our local communities.

A non-profit since 2019, CASAN has assisted traumatized — yet resilient — people from many countries who come to begin new lives in safety. It provides longer-term, wrap-around assistance for several individuals or families at a time as they become financially independent.

Learn about the challenges these new neighbors of ours face, and how you can help.

Our presenters:

Jan Steinbauer is a retired educator, with a background in Adult Basic Education and Family literacy in Barre, VT, and as Director of Literacy Programs at the VT Humanities Council. She currently lives in Underhill Center, where her family has lived since 1980 after moving to VT from the midwest. She became involved in work with asylum seekers through personal involvement with social action ministries through her church, Good Shepherd Lutheran in Jericho. She has been chair of CASAN since its beginnings in July 2019.

Kim Watkin is a former Social Studies Teacher at South Burlington High School. With her husband, Doug, they raised their two daughters in South Burlington. In retirement she has focused her time on defending voting rights, advocating for due process and the rule of law, and protecting the rights of asylum seekers and other immigrants. She is the former Treasurer and now Secretary of CASAN.