What is the Good Shepherd Mission? The Mission is a 501-C-3 non profit corporation. Funding is through churches, Local United Way, businesses, civic clubs, and individuals. We work with other local organizations and share resources as available. We serve all walks of life equally. Most clients or users of services are local and under the poverty level of Federal Income Guidelines. One third are elderly, and many are disabled. Most are of the working poor class.

The Mission was one of the first FIVE Faith Based Organizations to be awarded with a State Funded Contract (Local Innovative Contract) which was directly involved with Welfare Reform in an effort to get local families off the Welfare Roles where physically able. The Mission continues to search for innovative grants and funding for helping this community and Walker County raise the quality of life.

Who is the Director? Rev Dave Smith, Exec. Dir., has been serving Good Shepherd Mission since March 1994. He has led the mission to a level of serving bringing local churches and Human Services organizations together, maximizing resources of Walker County, Texas. He is a graduate of Harding Simmons University (B.S.in Fine Arts and Ed).

He received a MA(RE) from South Western Baptist Theological Seminary. He has previously worked in Oil field Engineering, followed by 6 years in advertising and marketing.

He currently serves on numerous local task forces, boards, and advisory committees in our region and county. He also serves part time on a local church staff and fills speaking engagements as requested, yet top priorities are being a dad and husband.

It is a blessing to serve and see others blessed through the Good Shepherd Mission. Volunteers provide most of the work, but get many blessings. Success stories occur daily in spite of our short comings. Lives are changed, families are helped further down the road, hunger is satisfied, thirst is quenched, and nakedness is clothed because some one cares. Together, it is working.

Here are some facts about the mission: we serve over 1,000 hot meals each month; we deliver groceries to 140 house holds each week; we have over 700 beds used monthly; we give out over 4,500 articles of clothing, coats, and household items each month.