Susie Rent has lived in the Grand Rapids area her entire life, building a life grounded in family, community, and service. She raised her children here, deepened her roots, and found countless ways to give back. What she didn’t know then was that these same values would eventually become the foundation of a shared mission with someone she had known for decades—Andy.
Throughout her career in sales, Susie built relationships across the community. Her work in radio advertising first connected her to Andy years ago, and her later role with Women’s Lifestyle Magazine connected her to CASA of Kent County. She managed a long-term ad campaign for the organization, and the mission immediately resonated. When she and Andy reconnected years later, they were surprised—and delighted—to discover that CASA was a passion they shared.
Service, however, has never been something Susie limits to a single organization. She serves on her HOA board, and she is in the early stages of starting a nonprofit dedicated to raising awareness and research for Mowat Wilson Syndrome, a rare condition affecting her grandson. With six grandchildren nearby, her life stays happily full, and her love for children continues to guide her choices.
That love also fuels her dedication to CASA. Susie uses her natural gifts—relationship-building, connection, and communication—to bring new partners into CASA’s circle of support. She helps broaden the organization’s reach by inviting other community groups into its mission. “CASA matters because every child deserves an advocate,” she says simply. For Susie, that belief is both personal and unwavering.
Together, Susie and Andy have made advocacy a shared endeavor. They connect friends and colleagues to CASA by inviting them to fundraising events each year. “It’s fun to bring people who don’t know about CASA and watch the transformation of their emotions,” Susie reflects. Hearing the children’s stories, she says, recommits both them and their guests to the mission.
Service has been a constant in both their lives but being able to serve together has created something deeper—a shared purpose that strengthens their bond and amplifies their impact. Their reconnection, once rooted in decades-old friendship, quickly grew into a love story shaped by gratitude, hope, and a desire to make a difference.
As they tell the story of their first date, they laugh, finishing each other’s sentences. And Susie wraps it all up with a smile: “And the rest is history.”
This post is part of our 2025 Humans of CASA of Kent County campaign. Click here to check out the campaign webpage and read more featured stories.
For Chad Kirkpatrick, service has never been a pastime—it’s what guides every part of his life. As the VP of Operations at Broadway Grand Rapids, he calls his role his “dream job,” not for the title, but because nonprofit work feeds a part of him nothing else ever has. His commitment to community extends beyond his job, reflected in the many ways he invests his time in volunteer roles.
Music has always been part of Trudi Huizenga’s life. It shaped her career, her outlook, and—perhaps most importantly—her service to others.
Patty Sabin’s journey into advocacy began long before she ever volunteered with CASA. It started at home, helping her two children navigate school with their own unique learning styles. Supporting them through those challenging years taught her how to speak up, ask questions, and persist—skills that would become the foundation of her life’s work.
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