Shepherd's PathKEEP MOVING FORWARD
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The heart behind the work

Everyone deserves
a path forward.

Shepherd’s Path was started by people who know recovery and starting over firsthand.

Our belief

Support without judgment.

Too many people leave treatment or incarceration with their belongings in a trash bag and little help with what comes next. We started Shepherd’s Path because we want to offer something more useful.

We’re raising funds for Step-Up Bags filled with basic essentials. We’re also building a resource directory so people can find food, housing, recovery support, and other local help.

We want people to have something useful in their hands and a place to start. Just as important, we want them to know somebody cares.

Shepherd’s Path Inc. is a federally recognized 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization. EIN: 42-2163457.

A man and woman walking side by side down a rural Illinois road toward sunriseKeep moving forward.
The people behind the mission

The people walking this path.

Meet the people who started Shepherd’s Path and the experiences that brought them here.

Lynn H.

Lynn H.

Recovery & Reentry Leadership

President

Lynn brings over 23 years of sustained recovery and leadership. At one time, he had what many would consider the American dream: a successful development business, a beautiful home, and a family. Addiction led to the loss of it all. Through recovery, Lynn rebuilt his life from the ground up and began giving back in meaningful ways. He worked with the Federal Bureau of Prisons, helping individuals transition from incarceration back into the real world, gaining firsthand insight into the challenges of reentry. He later returned to college, graduated, and became a counselor in a rehabilitation program. Even in retirement, he remains deeply involved in the recovery community, consistently giving back what was so freely given to him.

Melissa O.

Melissa O.

Family & Community Support

Secretary

Melissa plays an active role in the mission and vision behind Shepherd’s Path and works daily on the front lines of recovery as an operations manager and program director within a recovery and resiliency center. She is passionate about reuniting families separated by addiction and justice involvement. That work is personal to her. With over five years in recovery, Melissa has overcome a decade-long battle with addiction, time spent in and out of jail, and a past shaped by growing up in and out of the system without stable family support. Through recovery, she rebuilt her life, reunited with her children, got married, and stepped into a future she once believed was impossible. Today, she sees firsthand the struggles people face when reentering society and trying to create stability from day one.

Richard Hoss O.

Richard “Hoss” O.

Community Connections & Operations

Vice President & Treasurer

Hoss knows what it means to reach the end of the road. After a divorce, he fell into alcohol and drug addiction and watched his life unravel, losing his home, career, and nearly everything that once mattered. For years, he lived without stability, at times homeless. At his lowest point, he made the decision that changed his life: he asked for help. That moment led him to a 12-step meeting and a new way of living. Since June 7, 2019, he has remained clean. Through recovery and fellowship, he found sobriety, purpose, and a community that loved him until he could learn to love himself. Today, Hoss works as a supervisor, is a husband and father, and remains actively involved in the recovery community.

Those who helped us begin

Our founding supporters.

Thank you to the people who believed in Shepherd’s Path and helped us get started.

Founding recognition

Bridge Builders

  • Chris P.
  • Molly P.
  • Elijah S.
Always remembered

In memory of

Lenka Pope

What guides us

How we want to help.

Listen without judgment

People should be able to ask for help without being reduced to their past.

Practical support

Start with what is needed today: basic essentials, a useful phone number, or an organization to contact.

Community matters

Work with the people and organizations already helping our neighbors.

You don't have to
walk it alone.

Start with the resource directory or learn how you can support the work.

Find Resources Get Involved
Sponsor a Step-Up Bag ↗