Contributed
When nearly 6,000 patients walked through the doors of Shepherd’s Hope last year, they found a physician, a care team and a place that treated them with the same dignity as any private practice - at no cost. For nearly 30 years, that promise has been the foundation of one of Central Florida’s most essential nonprofits. Now, with Raquel “Rocky” McCormick joining as President and Chief Executive Officer – the first Hispanic leader to serve in this role in this organization’s history – Shepherd’s Hope is setting its sights on reaching thousands more.
McCormick’s journey to Shepherd’s Hope reflects both a deeply personal commitment and a results-driven career dedicated to expanding access and opportunity. Raised on the north side of Chicago, she experienced firsthand the power of community support and the consequences when it is absent, shaping her unwavering focus on access. For more than 30 years, she has built a distinguished career leading initiatives that connect working families to critical services, spanning youth development, healthcare access and community-wide philanthropy. Her leadership experience includes serving as Executive Director of Pace Center for Girls Orange, Executive Director of Cornerstone Hospice Foundation, and Vice President of Corporate Donor Engagement at Heart of Florida United Way, among other roles. With strong roots in the Central Florida nonprofit community, McCormick steps into this role with a clear sense of purpose and commitment to advancing Shepherd’s Hope mission.
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“When I look at what Shepherd’s Hope does and who it serves, I see families who are doing everything right and still having to choose between a doctor’s visit and keeping the lights on,” said McCormick. “That should never be a choice anyone has to make. My entire life has been about showing up for those moments. I’m here because this is exactly where I need to be.”
Priscilla came to Shepherd’s Hope after a friend encouraged her. “When we arrived, we were very well treated, and it surprised me… and yes, I had a little hope,” she recalled. A volunteer physician discovered a massive fibroid that threatened Priscilla’s ability to have children. Through Shepherd's Hope's network of specialists and partner health systems, Priscilla was connected to a surgeon and her uterus was saved.
Not long after a successful surgery, she took a pregnancy test and called her husband to celebrate the positive result. Months later, their daughter, Sia, was born healthy. “She is everything. She's my miracle,” Priscilla said.
Stories like Priscilla’s are the reason McCormick is stepping into this role. She arrives at a pivotal moment as Shepherd’s Hope moves forward after a challenging period shared by healthcare providers across the country. During the pandemic, the organization adapted how it delivered care, navigated significant operational strain and remained focused on serving uninsured neighbors wherever possible. That period of resilience and restructuring has left Shepherd’s Hope financially stronger, more focused and ready to expand its impact.
“We are deeply grateful to everyone who helped carry this mission through a challenging season,” said William J. Mullowney, Esq., Board Chair. “Rocky brings the kind of proven leadership this moment calls for - a strategic thinker, a collaborative partner and a decisive leader with a deep commitment to community impact. She brings the energy and the heart this organization needs. Her ability to build strong relationships, inspire teams and translate vision into meaningful action positions Shepherd’s Hope to expand its reach and serve even more neighbors who are counting on us.”
The urgency behind that mission is hard to overstate. Florida already carries one of the highest uninsured rates in the country, and experts project that number will grow by as many as 1.9 million additional residents by 2034 as federal healthcare subsidies expire and Medicaid funding shrinks. Impacted neighbors often include servers and gig workers, parents working two jobs without benefits and families earning too much to qualify for assistance but too little to afford insurance. For them, Shepherd’s Hope is often the only option. Eligibility extends to working individuals and families earning up to $95,000 per year for a family of four - a threshold that reflects just how many Central Floridians are quietly struggling.
In 2025, Shepherd’s Hope served nearly 6,000 patients across seven counties, connecting them to specialty care, free prescriptions and services they otherwise could not access. Through partnerships with AdventHealth and Orlando Health, the organization leverages every contributed dollar into nearly $9.5 million in in-kind care, from cancer screenings to surgical follow-up, at no cost to patients.
As Shepherd’s Hope enters this new chapter, there are many ways to be part of the work as a donor, a volunteer clinician or support staffer, or a community partner helping connect neighbors to care they didn’t know was available. To learn more or get involved, visit www.shepherdshope.org or call 407-876-6699.
