Good Shepherd Community Care

01/22/2026

We are so grateful to our neighbor and community partner, Bright Horizons for spending the week truly 💛 This special initiative invites their staff to take time each day to give back to local nonprofits through thoughtful, creative projects.

We were honored to be this year’s recipient and will be sharing these care packages with the children and families of our HEARTplay program. It’s these small, heartfelt gestures that bring comfort, joy, and smiles to families who need it most. Thank you so much for your generosity and partnership!

01/19/2026

As we honor the life and legacy of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., we are called to confront the enduring inequities that continue to shape our health care system, especially for patients and families of color.

In today’s climate, many communities, particularly immigrant families and communities of color, are experiencing heightened fear and instability due to increased enforcement actions, including ICE raids. Health providers across the country are noticing a worsening and increasing correlation between stepped up immigration enforcement and immigrant families skipping medical appointments, choosing to forgo care and canceling their limited state-provided health insurance, weighing health risks against fears of detention or deportation. These realities further exacerbate deep rooted mistrust and compounds the emotional and physical stress faced by patients and families seeking access to healthcare.

At Good Shepherd Community Care, our Racial Equity Committee helps guide ongoing action and reflection as we work to address racial disparities in access to high-quality serious illness care and expand culturally responsive training, practices, and interventions. Over the past year, the Committee has focused on deepening partnerships with organizations that share our commitment to equity and justice, including the Louis D. Brown Peace Institute, We Are Better Together, Everyday Boston, Bethel AME Church, Faith Christian Church, Concord Baptist Church, and several local community health centers. We are committed to continuing to strengthen our outreach and services within Black communities through Boston to ensure all people access to high-quality serious illness care.

Racial disparities in health care are unacceptable. Communities of color continue to face systemic barriers that limit access to care, and racism remains a disruptive force in the delivery of equitable treatment. At Good Shepherd, we are committed to confronting these realities and advocating for equity in care, ensuring that every individual and family has access to compassionate, dignified support during some of life’s most challenging moments.

We honor Dr. King’s legacy not only today, but every day, through our continued commitment to justice, dignity, and care for all.

01/16/2026

"Volunteer training with Good Shepherd has given me more than I could imagine. It teaches about the end of life process, comforting each client and bringing peace to each family, understanding and respecting their unique situation. It has deepened my own understanding of what it means to be a caregiver accompanying one on their final journey."
-G.S., Good Shepherd Volunteer

If you’re looking to make a difference that truly matters, we’d love to welcome you to our outstanding volunteer team! ❤️

Apply Now: https://gscommunitycare.org/Volunteer

12/31/2025

A year to reflect on, be grateful for, and carry forward. Thank you for being part of our 2025 story ❤️

12/30/2025

As we close out the year, we want to share our gratitude and thanks to our 2025 Corporate Champions for standing with Good Shepherd Community Care and supporting our mission. Your partnership makes it possible for us to provide compassionate care and support to patients and families when they need it most. Thank you for believing in this work and for being such an important part of our community!

12/18/2025

Good Shepherd's Miriam Boyd Parlin Hospice Residence is all dressed up for the holidays, and our residents have been enjoying delicious meals and sweet treats made with care by our amazing staff.

We know the holidays can be especially hard when a loved one is seriously ill, or when you are grieving someone who has died. During this season and always, Good Shepherd is here to support you and your loved ones in whatever way you need.

Wishing comfort, connection, and moments of peace to all who are navigating the holidays this year.

12/16/2025

We’re thrilled to share today’s publication of “A Legacy of Care” in Fig City News. We’re honored that this feature is one of the longest pieces they’ve ever published, and grateful for the care and thoughtfulness they brought to telling our story. The article beautifully captures the depth, history, and lasting impact of Good Shepherd Community Care’s legacy. ❤️

https://figcitynews.com/2025/12/a-legacy-of-care-how-good-shepherd-has-served-newton-for-nearly-50-years/

Good Shepherd staff speak with a patient (photo: Good Shepherd Community Care) A Legacy of care: How Good Shepherd has served Newton for nearly 50 years By Parker Maslowski on December 15, 2025 Every week, staff members at Good Shepherd Community Care competed for the privilege of driving Theresa Ni...

12/09/2025

This year, Good Shepherd Community Care was humbled by the overwhelming response to our 2026 Boston Marathon® Charity Team. With only five coveted bibs available, each with a $10,000 fundraising commitment, we received an incredible number of applications from around the world. What stood out most were the deeply personal stories of why people feel called to run for hospice and palliative care.

Our team members are not only athletes; they are advocates who are literally putting their bodies on the line to honor loved ones, elevate compassion, and ensure families have access to the care they need most.

One Good Shepherd runner, Kevin Yang, MD, a physician from San Diego, shared: “As a palliative care physician, I see firsthand how essential this care is. Patients at the end of their lives consistently ask for comfort for themselves and their families. Good Shepherd’s expertise and kindness matter deeply during life’s most vulnerable moments. They are committed to meeting patients and families where they are, and to providing care regardless of ability to pay”.

We are honored to have these 5 extraordinary individuals represent Good Shepherd on the world’s most iconic marathon course. Their courage, determination, and dedication will help ensure that countless patients and families continue to receive the care, comfort, and connection they deserve.

Learn more about our 2026 BAA Charity Team: https://gscommunitycare.org/BAA-Charity-Team

This year, Good Shepherd Community Care was humbled by the overwhelming response to our 2026 Boston Marathon® Charity Team. With only five coveted bibs available, each with a $10,000 fundraising commitment, we received an incredible number of applications from around the world. What stood out most ...

12/03/2025

Good Shepherd Community Care is thrilled to once again be named one of the 2025 Top Places to Work in Massachusetts in the 18th annual, employee-based survey from The Boston Globe. The Top Places to Work issue was published online at https://www.bostonglobe.com/magazine/top-places-work/2025/ on the evening of Tuesday, December 2 and in Globe Magazine on Sunday, December 7.

Top Places to Work recognizes the most admired workplaces in the state voted on by the people who know them best — their employees. The survey measures employee opinions about their company’s direction, ex*****on, connection, management, work, pay, benefits, and engagement. The employers are placed into one of four groups: small, with 50 to 99 employees; medium, with 100 to 249 workers; large, with 250 to 999 staff members; and largest, with a workforce of 1,000 or more employees. Good Shepherd is proud to be ranked 11th in the large category.

The first hospice in Massachusetts, Good Shepherd Community Care has evolved to also provide a full array of high-quality palliative care, bereavement services and grief support. As an independent, not-for-profit health care organization, Good Shepherd prioritizes people over profits, ensuring that patients, families, and the community receive the support they need during life’s most challenging moments.

“Our fourth consecutive Top Place to Work honor reflects the dedication, compassion, stewardship, respect, and integrity that our staff demonstrate every day. These values shape our culture and drive the exceptional care we provide” states Meg Lutze, COO.

Read the full press release: https://gscommunitycare.org/Post/The-Boston-Globe-Names-Good-Shepherd-Community-Care-a-Top-Place-to-Work-in-2025-Now-4-Years-Running


National Partnership for Healthcare and Hospice Innovation

12/02/2025

The holiday season can be one of the most emotionally complex times for the families we serve. For those caring for a loved one with serious illness, or grieving someone who has died, the weeks ahead often bring a mix of tenderness, sadness, reflection, and longing. At Good Shepherd, we believe no one should navigate those feelings alone.

This , we invite our community to join us in bringing Hope for the Holidays to patients, caregivers, and grieving families.

Your generosity will help us:

Support families facing serious illness
Our hospice and palliative care teams work throughout the holiday season to provide comfort, guidance, and dignity. Giving Tuesday donations help ensure that families have access to expert, compassionate care right when they need it most, including evenings, weekends, and holidays when support can feel especially important.

Bring comfort to grieving children and teens
Programs like HEARTplay offer a safe place for young people and their families to process their grief during a season that can magnify feelings of loss. Your gift helps fund group sessions, memory-making activities, and one-on-one support that let kids know they are not alone.

Create moments of joy for Pedi Pal families
The holidays can be especially challenging for families caring for a child with a life-limiting illness. Giving Tuesday donations help us create small but powerful moments of celebration, from gifts and music therapy to holiday events that allow families to be together in a space filled with joy rather than worry.

Provide remembrance opportunities for families
Our bereavement teams support families in honoring loved ones through memory rituals, virtual gatherings, and seasonal workshops. These moments offer connection, healing, and a sense of community at a time when many feel most isolated.

When you give to “Hope for the Holidays,” you are not just supporting programs — you are standing beside families during some of the hardest weeks of the year. You are helping create space for comfort, reflection, and moments of light. You are offering hope.

This season, hope starts with you.

https://gscommunitycare.org/Donate

National Partnership for Healthcare and Hospice Innovation

11/25/2025

We're excited to announce our fifth and final BAA Charity Team Runner: Kevin Yang! ⭐🚑 Kevin is a Palliative Care Physician based in San Diego, CA.

"As a palliative care physician, I see firsthand how essential this care is—patients at the end of their lives consistently ask for comfort for themselves and their families. Good Shepherd’s expertise and kindness matter deeply during life’s most vulnerable moments. They are committed to meeting patients and families where they are, and to providing care regardless of ability to pay.

Running has been an important part of my life, and it has long been a personal goal of mine to run the Boston Marathon. This year, I’m honored to pursue that dream while supporting an organization whose work aligns with my own."

Learn more about Kevin: https://www.givengain.com/project/kevin-raising-funds-for-good-shepherd-community-care-113745

11/24/2025

Celebrating Thanksgiving at the office! We're feeling grateful for our wonderful team and all we’re able to do together. 🦃🤎

For those who have experienced the loss of a loved one, holidays can be a time filled with sadness, loneliness, and grief. Yet holidays can also hold moments of gratitude, connection, and honoring the family members and dear friends who are no longer with us. This season often asks us to hold both—grief and love, absence and memory—making space for reflection while finding comfort in the traditions and stories that keep their spirit close. As we move through this season, we acknowledge the complexity of holding joy and sorrow side by side, and we hope all who are grieving feel supported, understood, and embraced.

Good Shepherd's Grief and Bereavement services are available to any and all who need them, even when hospice was not involved.