Dear Shepherds Friends,

Have you noticed how the season for thanks-giving gives way to the season of giving? Both are completely relevant to our work at Shepherds.

You’ve heard from us many times in the past how much we recognize and appreciate the time, treasure, and talents that constitute the contributions made by mentors, sponsors, donors, and all those, including our dedicated staff and Board members, who contribute to the growth and success of our students each year.

On the second theme – Giving: Note, this letter is not another ask for donations or a request of your time but rather to provide some additional information and insight to the gift of “opportunity” that your generosity and work support for our students.

Shepherds styles its mission on “closing the opportunity gap for our students” – primarily the educational gaps but also the social, intellectual, experiential and cultural opportunity gaps. In this newsletter, you’ll read about what that means in terms of the events and activities our Shepherds team have organized including many in concert with individual and groups of Shepherds mentors.

Planning, organizing and running these activities and events are how we put into practice the support provided by our mentors, donors and sponsors and is an important part of how we fulfill the mission we’ve all signed up for.

Opportunities abound, we just need to make them available and act upon them.
That’s another way of saying, “Changing Lives… One Student at a Time.”