What We Do

At Shara Foundation, we work tirelessly to foster the positive youth development of some of the Caribbean’s most vulnerable youth. The youth in Grenada are often confronted with a myriad of challenges, yet they are resilient and have a strong desire to support and promote community development. We envision a world where the young people of Grenada confidently pursue academic and career goals, actively serve as engaged community members, and proudly initiate community development as change agents.

Our Story

The Shara Foundation, established in June 2023 by Dr. Salisha Allard-Blaisdell, has a heartwarming origin rooted in the love and compassion of Sharalee, also known as "Shara" Blaisdell. Shara, along with her husband Ken Blaisdell, adopted an orphan from Grenada with the intention of providing unconditional love and parental guidance. Their commitment extended beyond adoption, as they nurtured the young woman, ensuring she was fully equipped and capable of supporting other youth from similar backgrounds.

Shara Blaisdell's philosophy, encapsulated in the words, "Every child deserves love and an opportunity to shine," serves as the guiding principle of the foundation. Shara, a remarkable woman, demonstrated her commitment to these words in 2011 when she proudly declared to a US judge that the adopted orphan was the fifth child she had always wanted. With unwavering dedication, Shara vowed to provide the orphan with every possible opportunity to shine, exemplifying an impeccable desire to enable youth to become the best version of themselves.

Three years prior to this transformative moment, Shara and Ken Blaisdell had already joined forces to provide full private family sponsorship for the orphan's tertiary education. Shara's love for children and youth, as well as her commitment to their well-being, served as the foundation's inspiration. The Shara Foundation, therefore, becomes a vehicle to extend and conserve Shara Blaisdell's invaluable legacy, ensuring that her love for children and youth continues to shine brightly always and forever.

Shara Blaisdell

Our Story

Shara Blaisdell

The Shara Foundation, established in June 2023 by Dr. Salisha Allard-Blaisdell, has a heartwarming origin rooted in the love and compassion of Sharalee, also known as "Shara" Blaisdell. Shara, along with her husband Ken Blaisdell, adopted an orphan from Grenada with the intention of providing unconditional love and parental guidance. Their commitment extended beyond adoption, as they nurtured the young woman, ensuring she was fully equipped and capable of supporting other youth from similar backgrounds.

Shara Blaisdell's philosophy, encapsulated in the words, "Every child deserves love and an opportunity to shine," serves as the guiding principle of the foundation. Shara, a remarkable woman, demonstrated her commitment to these words in 2011 when she proudly declared to a US judge that the adopted orphan was the fifth child she had always wanted. With unwavering dedication, Shara vowed to provide the orphan with every possible opportunity to shine, exemplifying an impeccable desire to enable youth to become the best version of themselves.

Three years prior to this transformative moment, Shara and Ken Blaisdell had already joined forces to provide full private family sponsorship for the orphan's tertiary education. Shara's love for children and youth, as well as her commitment to their well-being, served as the foundation's inspiration. The Shara Foundation, therefore, becomes a vehicle to extend and conserve Shara Blaisdell's invaluable legacy, ensuring that her love for children and youth continues to shine brightly always and forever.

Salisha Allard-Blaisdell, PhD
Salisha Allard-Blaisdell, PhD

Meet the Founder

Salisha Allard-Blaisdell, PhD

Dr. Salisha Allard-Blaisdell, the Founder and Executive Director of the Shara Foundation was the Grenadian orphan adopted by Ken and Shara Blaisdell. Dr. Allard-Blaisdell is a remarkable individual whose life journey serves as a powerful testament to resilience, empowerment, and commitment to positive youth development and women's advancement in leadership. Hailing from the enchanting Eastern Caribbean Island of Grenada, her story is one of triumph over adversity.

Born into challenging circumstances, Dr. Allard-Blaisdell faced expulsion from primary school at the age of eight while grappling with her mother's hospitalization. Tragically, she found herself placed in an orphanage at the tender age of nine following her mother's demise. Despite these early challenges, she defied expectations, overcoming illiteracy until the age of 12 and enduring the loss of her father to Hurricane Ivan at 15.

Dr. Allard-Blaisdell's academic achievements reflect her indomitable spirit. She earned a bachelor’s degree in English from Brigham Young University-Hawaii in 2012 and a Master of Public Administration from Rutgers University, where she completed the #1 internationally accredited MPA program, in 2016. Her trajectory into leadership effectiveness continued with a decade of dedicated service in the non-profit and public sectors, leading to the acquisition of a Master of Applied Leadership Theory in 2021 and a Ph.D. in Organizational Leadership in 2022, both from Northwest University. Notably, she made history by becoming the first Black woman to defend a Ph.D. at Northwest University, achieving this milestone at the age of 32.

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