12 Jun “Somewhere they feel safe and loved.”
This piece is guest authored by Heather Koers, a former Wheeler Mission volunteer and employee.
A beginning.
In 2014, I walked into Wheeler Mission as a kitchen volunteer. I had been very active in a local homeless shelter when I lived in Northern California. I missed my time there and decided it was time to find a shelter in Indianapolis where I could volunteer and get to know the people.
A calling.
I spent about a year helping in the kitchen. I enjoyed serving and sharing meals with the women. I enjoyed it so much that I decided to apply for a staff position. In 2015, I became an employee at Wheeler Mission. I’d never worked in outreach or ministry, but I felt a calling. I started in the children’s ministry and then became a guest service coordinator. After spending two years in that role, I decided to step away for a bit only to return later as a Winter Contingency monitor.
A transformation.
That first day I stepped foot in those doors as a volunteer, I had no idea it was going to change me. I’ve met women that I now call my family and friends. I’ve seen women transform and restore their lives. They have a place they call home, somewhere they feel safe and loved. I’ve witnessed firsthand the work that God does within these walls. Wheeler Mission and the women that call Wheeler their home have become a part of my life. Wheeler has changed me, and I know it changes others.