April is National Volunteer Month!

13 Apr April is National Volunteer Month!

Posted at 17:57h in Rick's Picks Blog by Carrie Rickenberg

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Dear Friends,

Did you know that April is National Volunteer Month, a month dedicated to honoring faithful volunteers and encouraging others to engage in service?

The Heart of the Matter

When I think about Wheeler and what we do, it’s obvious that volunteers are the heartbeat of our ministry. We couldn’t serve as we do without them. Did you know that Wheeler Mission accepts absolutely no government dollars? Because we’re privately funded, we are completely reliant upon the generosity of others. In fact, in 2017, 9,450 volunteers dedicated over 48,030 hours to serving our men, women and children. That’s incredibly powerful. And remarkably humbling.

It’s Hard to Put a Dollar Value on Service, But…

Our volunteers provide resources we desperately need. They conduct chapel services, teach classes, provide medical and dental care, give legal help, serve as mentors, plan activities, help our guests with job searches, prepare and serve meals… and more! Each year, volunteers donate tens of thousands of hours to Wheeler Mission, annually off-setting over $1,000,000 in staffing and operation costs. Volunteers keep Wheeler Mission afloat.

Inviting You to Join

There are so many things I love about leading Wheeler Mission, but one thing that matters most is that I get to invite people to join in and see God’s miracles firsthand. It’s an honor. So, will you join us?

We’ll Help You Find Your Fit

Before you start, we’ll prepare, equip, and enable you to thrive in your role. To ensure your success, we’ve created an information session called Wheeler 101. This is not mandatory for every volunteer to attend, but it will empower you as you learn more about homelessness in our community. Our seasoned staff is also prepared to train and ready you for ministry. We have dozens of opportunities at all our locations in both Indianapolis and Bloomington. You can serve regularly, or you can serve once. You can serve alone, or you can serve with your family! Check out the many ways you can help at Wheeler Mission. If you don’t know where to start, get in touch and we’ll be happy to help.

Making a High Impact

You may have heard Wheeler folks toss around the phrase, High Impact. But what exactly does that mean? High Impact volunteers are dedicated Christians who are committed to having long-term, consistent, hands-on interaction with the guests of Wheeler Mission. Many of our guests are starving for relationships, so staff and High Impact volunteers are a bridge from loneliness to community. Should you commit to service in a High Impact role, you’ll be providing the relational stability our guests need as they work towards lasting success in Christ.