BEECH GROVE — Servant’s Heart is a very busy place. Bill Boone is in the center of all the activity and very humble.
“When God called me to do this, I had no idea what I was doing at all,” Boone said.
A lot has changed since 2003 when Servant’s Heart started by helping just over a dozen families during the holidays.
Now, as Executive Director, Boone is efficiently running an operation with around 150 volunteers and multiple community partners to serve over 200 families a week in Beech Grove and the surrounding area of Marion County.
“A lot of folks just don’t have the resources especially with prices being as high as they are. We’ve seen our numbers and everybody else has too, almost 60% higher,” Boone said.
With lots of help, Servants Heart is meeting the challenge.
“We have red bags that we send out to churches, and they fill them and bring them back to us. Life Point Church filled the bags with 5,487 pounds of food.”
Boone says the key to success is working with other groups.
“We partner with another church, that has a small pantry. It’s called Faith Community Church. When they have an overabundance, they share with us and when we have an overabundance of dry goods, we share with them,” Boone said.
Dan Young is a lifelong Hoosier and a dedicated volunteer.
“I’ve been a grocery manager for four years at Servants Heart," Young said. "I have averaged five or six days a week working between 50 and 60 hours and it’s just fantastic. Sometimes you go home so tired all you can do is get something from your refrigerator and go to sleep on your couch. You wake up in the middle of the night and say, I’ve got to get back to the pantry.”
Food, clothing and other essentials are stocked at the pantry to help families in need year-round.
The WRTV Toy Drive helps fill a need during the Holidays.
Boone says in 2003, 17 families were helped at Christmas time by Servants Heart. With WRTV’s assistance we can take care of 216 families each year which is almost 600 children.
Boone is working hard today, but already thinking about tomorrow.
“The future is a huge facility with a food pantry and a thrift store which can employ some of the clients," Boone said. "I’d love to have a mini food bank to help some of the smaller pantries that are in churches. They are in the size of a bedroom and can’t get access to some of the larger food banks.”
To learn more about Servant's Heart, volunteer or donate items you can reach call 317-788-9433 or email: info@servantsheartofindy.org
