Courtesy photo – Wheeler Mission
The following was sent to the Bloomingtonian Monday:
Wheeler Mission–Bloomington to end women’s shelter services September 1, 2023, while engaging in strategic planning for long-term future operations in the Bloomington area.
Wheeler Mission–Bloomington, our community’s largest shelter, will end shelter services for women beginning September 1, 2023. Wheeler Mission—Bloomington remains committed to the care of those experiencing homelessness as we develop strategic plans for continued operations in South-Central Indiana. During the past seven years, through an opioid crisis and a global pandemic, Wheeler Mission—Bloomington, with the help of our community, has met the needs of thousands ofmen and women of our region experiencing homelessness. Throughout this time, our programs have excelled in providing shelter and daily necessities in addition to assisting our guests to address barriers to healthcare, employment, sustainable income, housing, and more.
However, these emergency operations have taken their toll. “The urgent nature of the past years and the growing needs of our unhoused neighbors have come at great expense in staffing, facilities, and operational costs,” said Dana Jones, Director of Community Engagement and Services. “As we pause to contemplate the future, it has become apparent that these heightened levels of operations are not currently sustainable and are preventing us from expanding the depth of our program offerings,” continued Jones. Wheeler Mission—Bloomington is engaged in a multi-year strategic plan to determine how to provide the optimal level of services to meet current and future needs facing our unhoused neighbors in our area.
Following much prayer, thought, and months of discussions, Wheeler Mission—Bloomingtonmade the decision to end women’s sheltering services. This will take place September 1, 2023, anduntil that time, full services will be provided to women experiencing homelessness, and our case management team will be compassionately working with each guest to safely relocate them to fellow local/regional service providers. Men’s sheltering services and programming will be unaffected during this time. Although this has been a difficult decision, our Wheeler Mission-Bloomington team is looking to the future with expectations of great things and invites you to support us as we restructure in preparation to best meet the needs of our neighbors experiencing homelessness.
Please join us as Wheeler Mission–Bloomington restructures for the future! Check out ourneeds and planningupdates on Wheeler Mission—Bloomington’s Facebook (https://www.facebook.com/WheelerMissionBloomington) and Instagram (https://www.instagram.com/wheelermissionbloomington) pages.
