By David Gordon, associate editor
The largest single donation in JONAH’s 14-year history will almost certainly be used for the unglamorous but essential purpose of paying operating costs.
The recent $15,000 donation came from Lloyd and Florence Shepherd of Altoona, who became aware of JONAH (Joining Our Neighbors, Advancing Hope) in its early years through their church. The Shepherds said in an interview that JONAH is doing important work in the community and they wanted to support its efforts after they came into a financial windfall.
Lloyd Shepherd talked at some length with JONAH organizer Lynn Buske about the organization’s efforts and its needs. The couple then agreed that their donation should be used to support some aspects of what it costs to keep JONAH running.
“He understood that covering overhead costs is the hardest part to raise funds for and wanted it to be used in that way,” Buske said. “Many non-profits, like JONAH, are challenged with meeting day-to-day expenses for an organization, so we are so grateful to receive this generous gift.”
Background on the Shepherds
Both Florence and Lloyd Shepherd were born and educated in Canada, where he was trained as an engineer and she trained as a physical therapist. They originally came to the United States with the intention of living and working in the Boston area for five years, moving to California for five years and then returning to Canada.
But the California option became less attractive, and when a job opportunity for Lloyd opened up in Minnesota, the family moved there and lived in the Minneapolis area for nearly 20 years. The next move was to the Chippewa Valley, where he worked for Cray Research, Inc. in Chippewa Falls for about eight years and Florence worked for CESA-10.
After retiring early from Cray, Lloyd took several undergraduate History courses at the University of Wisconsin-Eau Claire, in part to confirm his ability to still handle academics and because he had a larger goal in mind.
“My special interest was in Canadian history and, to a lesser extent, to English history because my father’s family had emigrated from there to Canada in 1908,” he wrote in a recent email.
“I looked for a project that would take me to England,” he said, and “discovered a graduate program at the University of Sussex in Falmer (near Brighton). I could earn a M.Phil. degree with the submission of a thesis.”
Off to England
So, the couple moved to England for 14 months, where he found time to contact some second cousins and do some genealogical research while also completing his thesis.
“I chose the study of emigration from the Port of Gravesend, on the River Thames below London,” he said. “Gravesend was sort of the mirror image of Ellis Island.”
And Florence – born, educated and licensed in Canada as a physical therapist – “found a job at the Royal Alexandria Children’s Hospital in Brighton,” he said. “At that time she was paid very little but, to this day, she receives a small pension for her 14 months of service.”
JONAH’s background
JONAH traces its origins here to efforts in 2007 by local clergy to focus attention on the criminal justice system and possible changes that would offer alternatives to imprisonment. It has evolved into an organization supported by a wide range of faith-based communities, with task forces working on local aspects of issues that include child poverty, affordable housing, transit, immigration, criminal justice and the environment.
Rev. Sandra McKinney, JONAH’s president, thanked the Shepherds for leaving this kind of a legacy for the community.
.“I want to especially recognize the great example they set by supporting an organization that works for creating a community that works for all, by investing in JONAH,” she said.
Buske said the specific ways in which the Shepherds’ donation will be used remain to be determined by the JONAH board, based on recommendations from its budget and executive committees.
FULL DISCLOSURE NOTE: Rev. Sandra McKinney is a member of the CVPost Board and serves as its treasurer.