St Vincent de Paul Cincinnati Recognizes Mighty Men’s Volunteer Contributions
April was National Volunteer Month. Mighty Men greatly appreciate being recognized by St. Vicent de Paul as a volunteer partner in delivering beds to neighbors in the community without transportation. SVDP released an Instagram post saying “SVDP is extremely grateful for this partnership and the involvement of Mighty Men”.
Mighty Men began in 2016 as Christian men’s group connecting men 50+ with purpose and passion. Over the last six plus years Mighty Men has developed and grown to become a 501(c)(3) organization committed to Service, Community and (Spiritual) Growth. They consider the group the spiritual adventure group for men 50+. Mighty Men has been blessed to have partnered with SVDP for each of those six years delivering mattresses, box springs and bed rails to neighbors without transportation (with emphasis on elderly, handicapped, and single mothers) that are clients of SVDP the 4th Saturday of each month for the past six years!
As the founder of Mighty Men, I was asked recently how our partnership with SVDP began? I had to chuckle, since service was a necessity to get Mighty Men started and moving forward! It was obvious from the beginning these men wanted to serve! It was Dave Maxwell, one of the original Members still serving on the Leadership team, who requested a consistent monthly project that would truly serve people!
From our first meetings, I struggled to find an ongoing service project that truly impacted our community and would help keep our members engaged. My wife Cindy ( SVDP- Cincinnati Director of Finance) shared that many of SVDP clients receive a voucher for a new bed but have no way to get the bed home. The very next month Mighty Men started to deliver beds to neighbors. “Being able in a small way to be the hands and feet of Christ is truly amazing to witness,” I shared with others over the years! Mighty Men are welcomed into neighbors’ homes and they always ask for the opportunity to pray for the family. As one of the original Mighty Men, Jack Scheidt , who leads the volunteers each month delivering beds shared, “To see the excitement and joy in the face of a child as they receive maybe the first bed they ever had is so emotional for me!” God is good and amazing!
Over the years the members of Mighty Men have been blessed to deliver hundreds of beds. We have continually been challenged by our members to develop new ways to assist our neighbors. Recently, within the last year, a corporate partner, Standard Textiles has come alongside Mighty Men to donate a set of new sheets with each bed we deliver.
When SVDP was approached by a national organization looking to bring the concept of Day of Dreams to Cincinnati, SVDP needed a reliable partner who could assist SVDP in delivering these beds in one afternoon. SVDP called on Mighty Men to be one of the original volunteer groups for Day of Dreams and we have continued to serve at this great event every year since. Day of Dreams, now in its fifth year, uses sponsors like Morris Furniture Company, Cincinnati Reds, WCPO and St. Vincent de Paul helping to ensure 50 children have a safe and comfortable place to sleep.
In addition to bed delivery, Mighty Men collaborates with SVDP each year during the holiday season to deliver boxes of food to special groups of neighbors that cannot physically come to SVDP to pick up a holiday meal. Mighty Men deliver food to the homes of neighbors each Thanksgiving and Christmas.
Mighty Men are passionate about the needs of men 50+ and connecting them to opportunities for a deeper relationship with God and others. Mighty Men appreciates the long relationship with St. Vincent de Paul. We look to continuing to serve our community alongside SVDP! Mighty Men extend an open invitation to all men 50+ to join them in serving our community! You can find out about the next opportunity to serve at mightymenofc.com
We are all called to serve, no matter what stage in life you are, regardless of the church, community, or parish in which you worship we are reminded to honor the Father in John’s Gospel 12:26 “Whoever serves me must follow me; and where I am, my servant also will be. My Father will honor the one who serves me”
~HAMMER