Dear Shepherds Friends,

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

You’ve heard from us in the past how much we appreciate the time, treasure, and talents that mentors, sponsors, donors, and all those connected to Shepherds make and how that contributes to the growth and success of our students each year.

I’d like to highlight the gift of “opportunity” that your generosity and work provides to our students.

Shepherds styles its mission as “closing the opportunity gap for our students” – primarily the educational gap but also the social, intellectual, experiential and cultural opportunity gaps. Our Shepherds’ School Liaisons working with Shepherds Program Manager have two ways of implementing this part of our three-part program: one, Shepherds initiated programs and the other, working in concert with our partner school resources and functions. Over the course of this year alone we’ve organized everything from college tours to a corn maze adventure, introduction to cyber security to working in food pantries or hauling Christmas Trees for other
community service organizations that may also be donors to Shepherds.

Planning, organizing and funding these activities and events is how we help close the opportunity the cultural, social and “life skills” gaps and 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.”

Wishing you and your families a Merry Christmas and happy holiday season,

Dan McAuliffe