Volunteer Testimonies
Check out why our volunteers LOVE to serve!
“It’s a joy to see the progress each of [the women] make. on their journey. I wouldn’t trade my morning there with them for anything. It is a total blessing. I highly recommend Wheeler to everyone looking for a place to serve.” Tammie
“After we finished [volunteering], I had a conversation with a woman who came over and said, ‘I really needed this today.’ And she said it in a very meaningful way. I asked what she meant by that. She said that that morning, she was seriously considering “giving up.” And I sensed that was a very deep statement about how bleak things looked to her. I asked if I could pray for her, so we stood there and prayed for a few minutes. I was so blessed by that…And genuinely hope that our little event brought a little light into the bleakness.” Jim
“We just hope the ladies were as blessed as we were. Thank you for this opportunity to serve!” Dea
“One thing that I loved most about serving at Wheeler was how much it helped shape my view of both the Bloomington community and the world. On campus, everything is very put together…it is very easy to forget about the outside world. Wheeler gave me the opportunity to not only be reminded of the presence of the rest of the Bloomington community, but also to consider how living in a college town impacts their lives…Through this opportunity, I feel that I truly gained a lifelong trove of knowledge about homelessness, how to make a difference in the issue, and the importance of working for the benefit of others. I consider my experience extremely valuable and worthwhile, and cannot wait to apply what I learned in my future endeavors.” Rebecca (Service Learning Student)
“I did not realize on how invested I would get or feel for the residents…When we made lasagna last Saturday one lady told me she had looked forward to it all week and skipped lunch that day because she was excited. Afterwards she also told me she had not had a home cooked meal like that for 6 weeks. That just pulled at my heart strings.” Lins (Family who serves on a reoccurring basis)
“I remember that the first time I volunteered, I was too scared to come out of the kitchen…So, I stayed in the kitchen and ladled soup into bowls. The second time I volunteered, some sweet person in the kitchen suggested that I simply go out and ask help to clear the meal. I would ask guests if they were finished or if I could get more soup for them, and everyone was so incredibly nice to me. I found my space. The more time I spent with the guests and volunteers, the more I knew I had found my place.” Carol (Winter Contingency)
“One of the things that stick in my mind is the gratefulness shown by most all the homeless folks who came to the shelter. Whether it was in response to the food or to a sack of clean, used socks, the men and women always expressed heart-felt gratitude for what most of us are fortunate enough to take for granted.” Bill (Winter Contingency)