Natasha’s Notes

A Note from Natasha I often get asked, "Why dog grooming"? Contrary to what many think, it is not because I am a dog lover. I actually am owned by a cat! We chose grooming because I had the inside understanding of the business—and it was a great fit for…

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…

A Note from Natasha The last of summer is upon us. Days are slowly getting shorter, and glimmers of cooler temperatures have been sprinkled here and there. I know many of you are gearing up for another school year with your kids, and before we know it, fall will be…

A Note from Natasha I have blinked and suddenly it is mid-summer, which is hard to believe. I know this can be one of the busiest times of year for families—with vacations and lots of summer activities being squeezed in before “back to school” arrives. For us, Pawsperity’s school is…

A Note from Natasha With Summertime upon us, we at Pawsperity often see this season inspiring families, individuals, churches, and groups to volunteer. Extra free time for some, coupled with longer, warmer days, can be just the reason to want to give back to the community. On a personal level,…

A Note from Natasha I know May is a very busy month with graduations, kids’ school years ending, and summer plans in full bloom. While the hustle and bustle of the much-anticipated summer season continues, I felt I should share what is on our mind right now at Pawsperity. Many…

A Note from Natasha Our 9th year in existence has been very busy as we continue to evolve and grow.  While we provide different updates through our monthly newsletters, eblasts, social media pages, and during tours and onsite events, I thought it also may be worth emphasizing in my note…

A Note from Natasha It is hard to believe within a few weeks, Spring will officially be upon us! Just like all the flowers and buds from trees that we will soon start to see grow, our Pawsperity program has continued to blossom. Over the 9 years we have been…

A Note from Natasha 2025 is off to a busy start! Pawsperity is gearing up for our annual in-depth program evaluation. In addition to our internal tracking, we collaborate with the University of Missouri’s Kansas City Midwest Center for Nonprofit Leadership to survey graduates’ experiences and successes post-graduation. It is…

A Note from Natasha What an incredible year 2024 was for Pawsperity! 41 students graduated, which means each of those individuals, plus their families, have new opportunities and bright futures within the pet grooming industry. Most importantly, their lives are, and will be, transformed because of a stable career that…

A Note from Natasha It is hard to believe that December is upon us and 2024 is coming to a close. Our passionate team has been working hard all year long to continue fighting our mission of breaking the cycle of poverty. Our “all in” approach is not easy. Sometimes…

As we embark upon the upcoming holiday season, our goal is to engage as many new Pawsperity supporters as possible. With our growth and helping more students and families transform their lives, we know we must continue to increase the reach of our donor base. We have a lot happening…

As we gear up for the last few months of the year, we have many exciting endeavors to announce. One biggie is the upcoming launch of our very own Pawsperity magazine, Grooming, Love & Hope. We did take a pause last year from the magazine, with just being in our…

I am sure I’m not the only one loving the recent crisp and cool mornings and evenings. It’s an ideal time to enjoy the fall weather, maybe even with your canine family members, too! While I usually focus my note on our students and graduates, because they are our heart…

Within the last few hot weeks of summer, kids and families are starting to gear up for school. For Pawsperity, August means it is once again time for our students’ annual graduation. It will be the largest group of graduates yet, over 30! We look forward to seeing families, friends,…

I am not sure how it is already past the mid-year mark. As we embark on the hottest time in Kansas City, I hope you are staying cool. For us, it has been a full year since we launched our monthly Paw Membership Program last summer. We are very appreciative…

It is hard to believe summer is here! While many of you may be planning family vacations, we are entrenched in detailed planning for the latter half of 2024 . One exciting project that has been underway is our annual magazine publication. In 2023, with so much happening in our…

As we step into May, I'm thrilled to share the tremendous strides our community is making together. This month, we celebrate not only the growth and success of our mission, but also the support that makes our work possible. While eagerly awaiting the start of one of our largest classes…

It is hard to believe that warmer weather and Spring is finally here. Like all the flowers I’ve been seeing lately, I feel Pawsperity’s community partnerships are blooming, too. A big shout out to Bar K for allowing us to have our first ever Pup Pageant at their location on…

As Pawsperity’s Founding CEO, my goal has always been to impact as many lives as possible. Our new facility has allowed us to help more individuals move out of poverty to not only support themselves, but also their families.   We currently have 25 students preparing for an April class.…