Pawsperity 2025 Highlights by Pawsperity

2025 HIGHLIGHTS

EMPOWERING FAMILIES TO BECOME SELF-RELIANT THROUGH JOB TRAINING, LIFE SKILLS, AND PRACTICAL SOLUTIONS TO END THEIR POVERTY.

a note from our founding CEO

When I think back to 2025, it feels like a year full of moving parts, all guided by a shared commitment to our mission. What’s exciting is how so many of those efforts aligned, pushing us forward and positioning us for a whole new level of growth and impact.

NATASHA HERDMAN, FOUNDING CEO

While you will read the details about some of these endeavors within this Highlights issue, I want to also take time to acknowledge a few. One of the biggest accomplishments is that Pawsperity was able to receive national accreditation through the ACCSC (Accrediting Commission of Career Schools and Colleges). This process has taken three years and has helped us standardize and elevate our school curriculum. I am so grateful for the dedicated team of individuals and countless hours put into this process to make it possible.

Once again, the University of Missouri-Kansas City’s Midwest Center for Nonprofit Leadership conducted their third-party evaluation, which continues to allow us to ensure we are still on the right path. It is important to have data to track our graduates new to their careers, as well connecting to those who have been out of our program for a few years. I think you will see why we still feel very confident that an impact is being made within a relatively short timeframe. To have an increase of student income of 438%* between before an individual enters our program and when they graduate and are working within the pet grooming industry is huge and speaks for itself. While our facility is only a few years old, we have had the ability to renovate some spaces in our grooming school, thanks to the generosity of a long-time funder. Adding new bathing and grooming stations was imperative, along with more dog kenneling. As the number of students increased, we also needed more dogs for them to groom, which meant more kennels. This project has greatly impacted our school workflow in such a positive way.

Above our school on the second floor, we were able to launch our commercial kitchen program. Adding to our food pantry and incredible food partners, we now have volunteers utilizing some of that food as ingredients to cook fresh and healthy meals. It has been a wonderful way for community groups and companies to engage with Pawsperity and to directly support our students.

All at the same time, in 2025 we found ourselves, like many other nonprofits, facing a different fundraising landscape. Fortunately, we have continued to work on different funding streams and have grown our workplace giving partnerships, as well as made headway for the first time ever, with programs such as TANF and SkillUP. We also had support from both the City and County, which has been terrific. Being selected as an Impact 100 nonprofit through United Way gave us many opportunities to be introduced to others who may not have ever known us. Some funders also rose to the occasion, pledging multi-year gifts. All of this combined support, along with the heavy lifting from our grants team and foundation giving, plus companies who have invested in our mission, have made 2025 a success.

I would like to give a special shoutout to our dedicated Board of Directors, Pawsperity Team, volunteers, and dog pet parents. While 2025 was all about setting the stage for what is the next phase for our organization, I believe we will have even more exciting news to share in our 10-year anniversary year of 2026. Until then, thank you again for all you do to make our mission possible!

* UMKC’s Midwest Center for Nonprofit Leadership Annual Evaluation Report, 2025

Board President Tom McDonnell Vice President Jarrod Sanderson Secretary Terry Garberg Treasurer Christian Hill

Board Members:

Ann Abercrombie, Scott Bauer, Emma Brooke, Katie Danner, & Jamila Weaver

accreditation

In late 2025, Pawsperity received accreditation by the Accrediting Commission of Career Schools and Colleges (ACCSC). The ACCSC is recognized by the U.S. Secretary of Education as a reliable authority concerning the quality of education or training offered by the institutions it accredits. ACCSC’s mission is to ensure quality education that enhances student success in the workforce.

For Pawsperity, it has been imperative to attain and commit to this level of accreditation to ensure our program continues to be as impactful as possible for our students.

101

INTRO TO BATHING + BRUSHING

104 ADVANCED GROOMING TECHNIQUES 105 BREED STANDARDS 106 courses

INTRO TO CLIPPER WORK 102

INTRO TO SCISSOR WORK 103 SCISSOR WORK + GROOMING THE FULL ANATOMY

7 months TO COMPLETE THE PROGRAM

715 hours OF HANDS-ON GROOMING INSTRUCTION 95 hours OF CRITICAL LIFE SKILLS COURSES

food program

Our onsite food pantry supplies all students with daily breakfasts and lunches, as well as nonperishable food items for them to take home to feed their families. We also receive weekly donations of fresh produce, allowing students to “shop” for additional healthy options for their families.

PETE’S GARDEN

We’ve been fortunate to have Pete’s Garden as a food partner since 2021, as one of twenty-five social service agencies they support. In 2025, they provided 5,054 pounds of food,* totaling 4,211 meals* for Pawsperity students and their families.

“We love supporting Pawsperity because our missions are so well-aligned. Pete’s Garden provides individuals and families with weekly wholesome meals. We know Pawsperity students are working hard to develop professional skills and provide a better life for themselves and their children. We are honored to help Pawsperity students on their journey by making mealtime a little easier,” Tamara Weber, Founder and Executive Director of Pete’s Garden.

MEALS DONATED BY PETE’S GARDEN 4,211

events community events nonprofit roundtable continued education

This year, we had many opportunities to connect with community members at events throughout the year.

One of our most exciting opportunities was tabling outside of a Kansas City Current game, thanks to our partnership with United Way of Greater Kansas City through Impact 100.

Accomplishing Pawsperity’s ultimate goal of permanently ending the poverty cycle is complex. Multiple temporary services and resources are crucial to stabilize students before, during, and immediately following their full-time 7-month curriculum at the grooming school.

We had Congressman Emanuel Cleaver III join us and our nonprofit partners to discuss the state of funding these essential services. We discussed how our nonprofit community can collaborate to best serve our respective missions.

We’re committed to ensuring Pawsperity graduates remain at the top of their field, even years after graduation. To achieve this goal, we regularly hold continuing education courses to help alumni learn skills outside of the general Pawsperity curriculum.

In 2025, we had award-winning creative groomer Tae Frans come in to demonstrate safe pet dyeing techniques, and Dr. Dale Sanson from Pet-Ag to teach our students and alumni about the chemistry behind the shampoo products they use each day.

summer happy hour

To celebrate the opening of our commercial kitchen, which helps feed Pawsperity students, we held a happy hour at our facility.

Attendees saw the kitchen in action, made pet bandanas, received pet caricatures, and heard from a Pawsperity graduate.

pup pageant

In 2025, we brought back a fan-favorite event for its second year—the Pawsperity Pup Pageant: Presented by Hill’s Pet Nutrition.

Dogs and owners strutted their stuff in three costume categories: Fantasy Tails, KC Spirit, and Pet and Parent Lookalike.

Photos Courtesy of Hallie Sigwing Photography/Paw Culture

magazine launch

The 2025 edition of Pawsperity’s magazine, Grooming | Love + Hope, was star-studded with inspiring Pawsperity graduates. We celebrated their accomplishments and the release of the 2025 issue at our red carpet launch party.

We would like to give a special thank you to Hallie Sigwing for donating photography services for the 2025 magazine and organizing the photoshoot!

PAWSPERITY BOARD MEMBERS AND CEO CELEBRATE THE MAGAZINE LAUNCH

ASHLEY, OUR COVER STORY FEATURE, SMILES WITH THE 2025 ISSUE OF GROOMING | LOVE AND HOPE

GRADUATES, JUNO AND TANISHA, ENJOY A MOMENT TOGETHER

KARLA, A 2025 FEATURED GRADUATE, SHARES HER STORY WITH ATTENDEES

FEATURED

ATTENDEES ENJOY

On the day her third child was born, Ashley was praying for a miracle. “That first night was truly bittersweet, lying with Tommy all alone in the hospital. Just him and me. He depended on me, and I wanted him to be able to count on me.”

The fear and anxiety of not being able to provide for her three children tainted what should have been a joyous life moment.

While awaiting Tommy’s arrival in 2018, Ashley’s husband was being sentenced for aggravated battery charges, and she had $232 to her name.

She was seven months pregnant and living in a homeless shelter with her two daughters. The hopes and dreams for the family she always wanted were slipping away.

Ashley began waitressing to provide for her girls and relied on her roommate at the shelter and her family to watch her kids. With no car, she walked along a busy highway at night from the shelter to work and back. It was during those walks that her darkest thoughts would creep in. “How will I provide for these soon-to-be three kids?” She knew working as a waitress was a temporary band-aid and not a sustainable way to provide the life she wanted for her children.

After Tommy was born, a flyer for an information session about Pawsperity’s grooming school and the potential to make a decent living as a dog groomer caught Ashley’s eye. The opportunities a Pawsperity graduate shared during a presentation spoke to Ashley and motivated her to apply.

After several months of hard work with hundreds of hours of hands-on learning and testing through six different levels of instruction, she graduated. At first, she was nervous about grooming without her instructors there to guide her, but she soon realized they had prepared her well for her new career.

Working at one other salon after graduation first, Ashley then began working at Woof’s Play and Stay in Lawrence, Kansas in June of 2020. Today, she is proudly their Lead Groomer.

“I absolutely love what I do—I don’t even feel like I’m working. But most importantly, I am providing my kids with the life they deserve.”

On her own, in 2021, Ashley became a homeowner. Today, she not only provides her children with a safe and stable home, but also the activities and opportunities they love, like dance, cheer, and karate.

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.”

With the help of Pawsperity, Ashley’s family went from barely surviving to thriving. As a graduate, Ashley is empowered to pay her own bills, buy her own home, and give her kids the life they deserve.

human-animal bond

Many of us already know from firsthand experience as pet parents that animals and people can have a special connection. The Human Animal Bond Research Institute (HABRI) shares that people are happier and healthier in the presence of animals. Scientifically documented benefits of the human-animal bond include decreased blood pressure, reduced anxiety, and enhanced feelings of well-being.

Pawsperity is no stranger to this bond. The dog interactions in our school can be a real game changer for students who come from very traumatic situations.

Natasha Herdman, Founding CEO says, “The dogs can bring comfort to our students who have unfortunately had a lot of trauma in their lives. At the same time, working with animals forces our students to be in the present moment. As an unexpected but wonderful result, we have seen our students’ communication skills improve because of these daily interactions.”

- DENISE

In 2025, Pawsperity was recognized by HABRI in the Public Service category of the national Human Animal Bond Innovation Awards

These awards recognize those doing innovative work designed to advance the human-animal bond.

“HABRI is honored to recognize Pawsperity as the Public Service award recipient of this year’s Human Animal Bond Innovation Awards,” said Steve Feldman, President, HABRI. “By providing comprehensive support to individuals pursuing a career in pet care, Pawsperity exemplifies how organizations can empower people to build brighter futures while nurturing the human-animal bond.”

Pawsperity thanks both HABRI and its supporters for selecting Pawsperity for this prestigious award!

volunteering

hill’s make a difference week

Without our volunteers, we couldn’t do our work to unleash human potential.

In October, Hill’s Pet Nutrition employees joined us for their annual Make a Difference Week. Over the course of three days, 33 Hill’s volunteers* gave time at Pawsperity, giving a total of 105 hours.*

Volunteers made meals, pulled weeds at our family residence, cut pet bandanas, and organized our food pantry.

1,624 HOURS OF INDIVIDUAL VOLUNTEERING

986 HOURS OF GROUP VOLUNTEERING

2,610

TOTAL HOURS VOLUNTEERED

commercial kitchen

Our commercial kitchen program launched in July, providing nourishing meals to Pawsperity students.

Over the course of the year, 70 volunteers* gave a total 212 hours* in the kitchen—literally fueling our students’ futures.

Grooming is vital to both our instruction and our financial health, providing both learning tools and revenue that support the program as a whole. We are grateful to the thousands of pet owners who entrust their pets with us, and are proud to provide high-quality, low-cost grooming services to keep pets happy and healthy.

“WE HAVE BEEN GOING TO PAWSPERITY FOR ABOUT A YEAR NOW AND WE’RE ALWAYS HAPPY WITH THEIR SERVICE. PLUS,

you can feel good about helping someone learn a new skill.

A GREAT ASSET TO THE KANSAS CITY COMMUNITY.”

-CUSTOMER REVIEW

6,668

DOGS GROOMED IN 2025

new spaces

As Pawsperity has grown, we’ve identified spaces that also needed to grow with us. Thanks to a generous grant provided by The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, we transformed a space into a larger kennel room, and our former kennel room into a bathing and drying room dedicated to our 101 class.

254,543 IN GROOMING REVENUE

This change has allowed us to increase our overall capacity, finish baths earlier in the day, and provide our 101 class with the specific attention they need to perform their best. These six new tubs and six drying and brushing stations enhance the experience for pets and students alike.

These needed areas help us best serve the students we have today, and focus on continued growth for the future.

*Gingr Report, 2025

2025

original curriculum

Over the last two years, Pawsperity has made a concerted effort to improve and standardize our curriculum. In mid-2025, the project was completed with a student and instructor textbook, student workbook, extensive online video library, instructor training program, and rubrics that provide unity across all course levels and instructors.

According to Director of Grooming, Amber Mabrey, the completion of this project has made an incredible impact on our students. “They know what to expect from course to course,” she shared. “They’re able to study in advance. Students are going into the courses more prepared, so there’s less anxiety moving into new courses (and levels).”

Instructors have been impacted as well. As part of the Pawsperity Instructor Training, they now grade to more of a set standard, ensuring that expectations are the same across all instructors and all levels.

Lead Grooming Instructor, Amy Hall, shares, “Consistency is key for teaching. Students are able to learn skills with all instructors teaching the same way. But at the same time, our students have a variety of learning styles. With our new resources and variety of teaching methods and resources, all students can learn.”

In the 820 hours of classes, hands-on work with the dogs, textbooks, and videos are the key ways in which a broad variety of learning happens. The ultimate goal of Pawsperity’s school is to provide the best way for students to learn, which means they can graduate with a new set of skills, become successful in their grooming career, and eventually become self-reliant for themselves and their families.

school demographics

support

To support our planned growth, Pawsperity expanded funding efforts across the board in 2025. A partnership with Missouri Vocational Rehabilitation and new federal workforce funding through the TANF and SkillUp Programs allowed us to triple our workforce dollars* from 2024 to 2025.

We also ventured into the state and local government grant space in 2025, cultivating relationships and securing first-time funding commitments from the City of Kansas City and Jackson County to support our family residence, food program, and general operations in 2026.

Annual expenses included

Programming at 80.4%, Fundraising at 10.8%, and Admin at 8.8%.*

REVENUE*

*Pawsperity Unaudited Financial Report, 2025

thank you, donors!

We are grateful for the incredible support received from our donors. This is a comprehensive list of gifts received from 1/1/2025 – 12/31/2025.

$100,000 AND ABOVE

The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints

The Dehaemers Family Charitable Trust

Hall Family Foundation

The McDonnell Foundation, Inc.

William G. McGowan Charitable Fund

Sherman Family Foundation

The Jack F. and Glenna Y. Wylie Charitable Foundation

$50,000 TO $99,999

Anonymous

Doctors Morrill Foundation, Great Plains Trust Company, Trustee

Pet-Ag, Inc.

Philip and Patricia Muck Charitable Foundation

Pfriem Family Fund

Edward F. Swinney Trust, Bank of America, N.A., Trustee

$20,000-$49,999

Bauman Family Foundation

Bednar Family Fund

Curry Family Foundation

The Giving Machines - The Church of Jesus

Christ of Latter-day Saints

Hill’s Pet Nutrition

Kappa Kappa Gamma

Mary Lockton Charitable Fund

Oracle

Stephen R. Pratt Charitable Fund

SkillBuilders Fund

Sosland Foundation

United Way of Greater Kansas City

$10,000-$19,999

Andis Company and Andis Foundation

Ann K. Baum - G. Kenneth & Ann Baum Philanthropic Fund

Abe and Anna Bograd Memorial Trust

The Ina Calkins Charitable Trust

Country Club Christian Church

The Ronald D. Deffenbaugh Foundation

Dodd Family Foundation

Dunn Family Foundation

Thomas Fahey Family Foundation

First Federal Bank of Kansas City

Hulston Family Foundation

William T. Kemper Charitable Trust - UMB, n.a., Trustee

Menorah Heritage Foundation