Natasha’s Notes

A Note from Natasha For many families, this time of year brings the end of a season, and excitement for summertime. Weather is starting to get warmer, and kids are often counting down the remaining days of school. At Pawsperity, our school goes year-round. Every few weeks we are bringing…

A Note from Natasha Spring is in the air with bouts of warmer weather, rain, and even some flowers starting to bloom already. As we gear up for this next official season, it may be hard to think about Fall. But we are hard at work on a major milestone:…

A Note from Natasha There is a lot of reflection as we move more into Pawsperity’s 10th official year of existence. Especially with February upon us, often synonymous with love, I thought I’d share a few observations about our nonprofit that I truly love. Our team. We have an amazing…

A Note from Natasha January of this new year is somehow almost over with a blink of an eye! While we have many exciting things happening in 2026 to celebrate our 10-year anniversary, we were fortunate to receive wonderful news very late in 2025. Pawsperity is now accredited by the…

A Note from Natasha 2025 has been a very busy year for our organization. We are so grateful for all of you who have supported our mission so we can continue impacting some of our community’s most vulnerable. Through it all, we continue to have amazing graduate success stories. If…

A Note from Natasha With Thanksgiving upon us, I wanted to take some time to give thanks to those who make Pawsperity’s mission possible. It is definitely a collective effort, and not easy. Like many growing nonprofits, sometimes we are faced with new challenges, which may mean we have to…

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…