A Note from Natasha
Soon we will receive our annual evaluation conducted by the UMKC Midwest Center for Nonprofit Leadership. It is important this data is collected by and placed into a report by a third party. Each year, we may add a few new data points we feel we should be tracking, but what is nice is that over the last three years of having this evaluation, it is showing us trends, what services and parts of the program are working well, and where there may be opportunities for improvement. Honest feedback conducted by interviews and surveys, and being data-driven, is imperative for real growth.
In 2025, the report showed $8,000 was the average annual income of students before entering our program. The average income of a Pawsperity graduate then moved up to $43,000, which is a 438% increase. We also are able to see what incomes look like after graduates have been out working for a few years. Often, a single mother may opt to not work full-time hours because she needs to be available to young toddlers and cannot afford daycare. However, once her kids are older, and she is able to work 40+ hours a week, the trend is that annual income increases.
As I eagerly await results this year, we will be sure to provide some of the key takeaways with you, including statements that graduates include about how Pawsperity has impacted their lives. We are not a band-aid fix. We have an “all in” approach with many wraparound services and support measures to help our students. Our end result has to be significant enough to pull individuals, and their families, out of poverty permanently. Our program is complex to meet this difficult challenge, but it can be done.
If you are not familiar with our mission, you can read about some of our success stories. Check out many of our inspiring graduates who were kind enough to share their journeys at https://pawsperity.org/successes/. Until next time…
