A Note from Natasha
As summer fades and fall begins, the final touches are being put on our annual Pawsperity magazine, Grooming Love and Hope. We are highlighting graduates and their inspiring stories of strength and determination. Without giving too much away, I wanted to share just a few excerpts from some of the success stories featured in this year’s issue.
Tanisha (a 2016 Graduate and Pawsperity Grooming Instructor)
Tanisha still cries each time she sees a student graduate. She says, “I just have such a joyful feeling and am so proud. I know as a graduate what it means. They now have a skill that nobody can ever take away.”
Ashley (a 2019 Graduate and Lead Groomer at Woofs Play and Stay)
Reflecting on how far she has come since those nights walking back to the shelter or lying in the hospital after her son was born, Ashley is grateful that her kids don’t remember those days. Instead, they see the confident mother she has become, the mother they can rely on, and the one she dreamed of being. Simply put, Ashley says, “Pawsperity was the best decision I’ve made in my life. It was my light in the darkness.”
Karla (a 2024 Graduate and Petco Salon Manager)
“It is unbelievable all the energy that was poured into helping me. For the first time in a long time, Pawsperity made me feel that I had value and was worthy of help.” Karla credits the trust built between instructors, case managers, and students, along with the range of resources, including the life skills classes and the Family Residence, with making her completion of the program possible.
As a reminder to everyone, these life transformations are the whole reason we exist—and I am so grateful for the continued support of the community to fulfill our mission. Stay tuned in November for when our full magazine is released.
