What Does Community Really Mean?Community. What does this word really mean? For me, the “Community” tenet of Good Shepherd Volunteers was the most difficult to imagine....
Open Thank You LetterAs I write this blog post, there are exactly 30 days left of my service year with Good Shepherd Volunteers. I am feeling many emotions as...
What I've Lost and What I've FoundI always really liked the quote by Ralph Waldo Emerson: “The only way to have a friend is to be one.” I elaborated on this a little once...
But Why New Jersey?? A Call to Serve as a GSV During Gap Year Before Medical School[This post was originally delivered as a speech by Martina Penalosa at the 2019 Good Shepherd Volunteers Spring Benefit] A year,...
Thank You for YouUpon committing to volunteering in Thailand, I knew the language barrier would be a significant challenge I’d face during the year....
Three Good ThingsAs a Good Shepherd Volunteer at Collier High School, my days are filled with cold mornings, substitute teaching, quiet lunch duties, and...
Our Common Ground[This post was originally written for and published by the Global Sisters Report on October 31, 2018. See the post in its original form...
Food 4 Less: A Place of Community and a Place of ReckoningI was introduced to Food 4 Less, a discount grocery store unique to California, on my second day in Los Angeles. I had spent my first...
Apathy Informed CareThe world of social work is a difficult one, and as such reminders to take care of ourselves are everywhere. In my interview process I...
"No, Mama"Oftentimes, I find that God sends me the most poignant messages in the ways I am most likely to spot them. When I was fifteen, I started...
Introducing the 2018-2019 Good Shepherd Volunteers!We are elated to ring in our 26th year with 11 volunteers placed in California, New Jersey, New York, and Thailand! The Good Shepherd...