Over the past 40 years, Shepherd has been a beacon of hope for our neighbors, providing safe places where they can feel seen, heard, and loved in their community. By providing holistic care in and out of the classroom, Shepherd Community has built authentic relationships that bring transformation in the lives of our neighbors.

In 1988, Shepherd Community launched an After-School program with about 12 kids. Why 12?

12 because that’s the number of kids that fit into our Shepherd van. Miss Emilie picked the kids up from school and then took them home in the evenings. It began to provide parents with a safe place for their kids after school and extra help with homework. But it became so much more.

Miss Jerry signed up her grandkids, and she started staying and helping in the program. For about the next 10+ years, Miss Jerry served in After-School. She began attending Shepherd Church, and many of our After-School kids also attended, both on Sunday mornings and Wednesday evenings. She even helped pick up kids from school in a van, then a bus, and helped take them home at night. Because of Miss Jerry, we doubled our After-School numbers. We then added some more kids on, because some parents were able to pick their kids up from Shepherd. Miss Jerry noticed how hungry our kids were, so she started making simple dinners for our kids, like spaghetti, hot dogs, and chili. She would purchase these things and donate them out of her big heart. We started calling her Grandma Jerry, and 30 years later, kids still remember her cooking and love for her kids.

The heart of Miss Jerry has fueled so much of what After-School is today. Students come to Shepherd after the school day, receiving a healthy meal, help with homework, new enrichment clubs, community, and the love and care of an adult who simply asks, “So, how was your day?”

In 2012, Shepherd began partnerships with IPS, forming After-School programs in School 58, followed by additions to School 82, Howe Middle School, Purdue Polytechnic High School, and Arsenal Tech High School in the years that followed.

Even after 40 years, love can burn as bright as ever. With partners and volunteers like Miss Jerry, we are able to serve more neighbors than ever before. Over the next 40 years at Shepherd, we plan to continue to care holistically for students in our After-School programs, deepen relationships, and build a transformational community.