Kathy’s journey as a supporter of CASA of Kent County has been a long and winding road. Kathy has always had a heart for children and believes that “kids are the world’s most precious resource.” After her previous volunteer work with children in a variety of settings, CASA seemed like a natural fit. In 2016, Kathy went through training and became a court appointed special advocate. After serving one case as a volunteer, Kathy began exploring other ways to support CASA. By 2018, Kathy and her husband, Pat, had become regular attendees at CASA events and were inviting their friends and family to join them.
Kathy also became increasingly committed to the idea of starting an endowment fund for CASA of Kent County. Recognizing the importance of stable and diverse funding sources, she reached out to the executive director to share her vision. After a delay courtesy of the COVID-19 pandemic, Kathy and then-board member Gerri Pasi collaborated to overcome obstacles and initiated the CASA of Kent County Endowment Fund at the Grand Rapids Community Foundation. Leading by example, Kathy and Pat laid the groundwork for sustainable funding by making an inaugural contribution to the fund.
Now a CASA board member and chair of the Endowment Committee, Kathy dedicates her time to planning for the future of the endowment fund by doing research and attending educational webinars. Kathy is paving the way for a strong endowment that will help support CASA for years to come.
When asked about how it feels to support CASA’s mission in this way, Kathy humbly responded that she’s just “a drop in the bucket” among many other faithful CASA supporters. She has “so much respect for the volunteers” and the work they do – just another reason Kathy supports CASA’s goal of long-term financial planning!
What is an endowment fund?
An endowment fund is a financial investment pool established by a nonprofit organization to generate income for the organization’s ongoing operations or specific purposes. The principal amount is generally kept intact, ensuring long-term sustainability.
If you’re interested in making a contribution to CASA of Kent County’s endowment fund, please contact Stephanie Sheler at stephanie.sheler@kentcountymi.gov or 616-632-5112.
This story is featured in the Spring 2024 edition of CASA connect, CASA of Kent County’s quarterly newsletter. Click here to view a pdf version of this newsletter.
Statistics don’t lie. Sometimes, though, they do more than inform—they stop you in your tracks and demand action. That was the case for Jim Vidro, a retired math teacher turned CASA of Kent County volunteer.
West Michigan Partnership for Children (WMPC), a local nonprofit at the heart of Kent County’s foster care system, was founded in 2017 to transform how children and families experience care.
We’d like to extend a heartfelt thank-you to our friends at Berger Chevrolet for featuring CASA of Kent County as their charity partner at their first employee luncheon of 2025!
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2025 Heart of CASA Dinner Event | October 16, 2025
