Shepherd's Center Board of Directors

President
William Kalahurka
Vice President
Lin Knudson
Treasurer
John T. Koch
Secretary
Greg Lear
Vice Secretary
Sue McCord-Belzer

Michelle Durrett
Charles A. Eddy
Carolyn Elman
Kasey Graham
George Heymach
Sheryl Jones
Denny Kurogi

Shepherd's Center Central Executive Director
JoEllen Wurth

Shepherd's Center Central Director of Coming of Age
Sandra Aust

About Coming of Age: Kansas City

Since 1972, Shepherd's Center Central (SCC) has served the Kansas City metropolitan area by providing quality services and programs. SCC, with its partners, empowers those 50+ to use their wisdom, talents, and skills for the good of their peers and the community.

Programs and services currently offered are:

  • Meals on Wheels
  • Senior Advocate counseling (Medicare, Social Security, Durable Power of Attorney)
  • Adventures in Learning (lifelong learning opportunities)
  • Intergenerational Computer Classes and Fitness programs
  • Wheels That Care (transportation service)
  • Extreme Yard Rakeover (yard clean up)

This year SCC has added two new programs:

  • Coming of Age: Kansas City
    • a metro-wide initiative to promote civic involvement, lifelong learning and community leadership among those 50+
  • KC Caregiver Supportline
    • a professional Aging Specialist connects caregivers of those 60+ with programs and services that meet individual needs.

Coming of Age: Kansas City is a part of a national initiative led by The Intergenerational Center at Temple University, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.

Coming of Age: Kansas City:

  • Celebrates the potential of those 50+ to have a powerful impact on their community.
  • Helps them make a rewarding transition to the phase of life following full or part-time work and/or family responsibilities. 
  • Inspires them to explore their passions, plan their future, become community leaders, purse lifelong learning and engage in meaningful service.
The Kansas City initiative is a dynamic, professional approach to tapping into the high-level expertise of those 50+ volunteers while at the same time helping nonprofits design meaningful opportunities for them.

The Coming of Age: Kansas City initiative has four components:

  • Website
    • A dynamic, informative, interactive website for those 50+ that connects them to personal growth opportunities, community service and paid and unpaid work
  • Explore Your Future
    • four facilitated interactive workshops presented in community and corporate settings that help people envision the next phase of life including pursuing civic involvement, lifelong learning and encore careers
  • Learning Labs
    • a dynamic three-day intensive training for nonprofit professionals focused on crafting compelling opportunities for those 50+ and developing their own high impact management skills