Congratulations on making it to 2023!
We are so thankful for the time you spent volunteering at Wheeler Mission over the past year. We would not be where we are today without you! I'm pleased to report that we completed the year on a strong note with more than 7200 volunteer hours served in November and December. If you were part of serving in the 2022 Holiday Season, we thank you!
Did you know… that statistically, we serve more guests in January and February than we do any other time of the year? We are up to our necks in WINTER CONTINGENCY. From November 1st to March 31st, Wheeler Mission opens its doors to more guests than usual to offer shelter from the cold. We serve this large number of guests with our smallest number of volunteers. If you are available, would you brave the COLD and the DARK to bring light and love to the Mission? After a long winter season, our staff is weary, and a volunteer's presence reminds us that we are not alone in this important work. Go to wheelervolunteer.org to sign up for a shift today!
A few points of interest going into the new year…
- Meal Service and Donation Sorting are our greatest needs. Children as young as 8 can help serve meals and as young as 10 can help with sorting at our Donation Center.
- We have opened a new Thrift Store in Fishers (8640 E. 96th Street). The shopping is GREAT, but you can also volunteer or drop off donations at this location. Sign up for a sorting shift at the new store here.
- If you are looking for additional ways to help people experiencing homelessness, check out our Amazon Wishlist. You can also see some of our most urgent needs here. Your generous donations allow us to meet the urgent and felt needs of the people we serve daily.
- As the year progresses you will see new volunteer opportunities added to our current listings, check our website wheelervolunteer.org often to stay current on Wheeler Mission's newest volunteer needs.
Are you a recurring volunteer?
If you are a recurring volunteer (you serve on a regular schedule - daily, weekly, monthly, etc.), your schedule ended in 2022 and you need to log in and sign up for your 2023 shifts. Most of our serving opportunities are open for registration through the end of June. We will open July- December schedules before the end of June. Please don't assume that you are still on the schedule. If you do not receive a reminder email before your regularly scheduled shift, then you are no longer scheduled, and we do not know you are coming. We will not be able to capture your volunteer hours. Please assist your Volunteer Engagement Manager by signing up for 2023 shifts! If you need help signing up for your recurring shifts, your Volunteer Engagement Managers are here to help.
Join the Club
The Volunteer Ministry Team is proud to launch a new Facebook group for current, past, or future Wheeler Mission volunteers. If you have stories to share, questions to ask, and want to hang out with people who believe in second chances, this is the group for you. Use this link to request admission to the group. If you have served a minimum of one time at Wheeler Mission, you will be welcomed.
Stuck in a serving rut?
Have you served with Wheeler in the same capacity for years and are wondering what else Wheeler has to offer volunteers? We would love to start a conversation.
Are you a past volunteer who is MIA? We would love to reunite.
Have you served once, possibly with a group, and never returned? We would love for you to take the next step and come serve with us again. With all our different shelter sites, we encourage you to sample the different locations to get a better sense of the scope of all Wheeler Mission does for our community.
Here are a few serving ideas that you may wish to try in 2023:
- Pack sack lunches
- Host a donation drive.
- Schedule a special event.
- Take a tour.
- Try a different location than your normal site.
- Try a different opportunity than meal service.
- Bring a friend or lead a group.
- Host a recreation time, provide a meal, or a holiday event.
- Schedule a speaker for your community group or a lunch and learn for your coworkers.
Reach out to volunteer@wheelermission.org to learn more about any of these opportunities.
We look forward to growing with you in 2023. Let's make this the best year yet.
All our love,
