Sheltering Wings “Pays it Forward” by Celebrating Community’s Angels

Danville, IN, January 8 — When Sheltering Wings opened its doors 17 years ago, its name was inspired by a familiar promise in Psalm 91.

Since then, hundreds of people have found refuge and hope under the domestic violence shelter’s “wings,” along with support from a host of local organizations that have provided wraparound services to residents.

As Sheltering Wings celebrates its 17th anniversary on Saturday, January 12, its staff and volunteers plan to recognize those organizations and inspire others within the community to perform supportive acts for others.

Executive Director Cassie Mecklenburg hopes the anniversary will encourage local residents to perform random acts of kindness, and to draw attention to those acts, “Not only do we want people to share kind actions with those around them, but we want them to take photographs of themselves performing those acts,” Mecklenburg explains. “Our hope is that seeing their neighbors treat each other kindly will inspire people to perform their own acts of kindness.”

In addition, Sheltering Wings will circulate sets of angel wings throughout the community to add some fun to the random acts of kindness.

So, if you see someone wearing wings and you wonder why they are doing so, know they are helping Sheltering Wings celebrate and are doing their own random acts of kindness.

In order to express their own gratitude, the shelter’s staff and volunteers will also reach out to those helpful local organizations, thanking them for their support over the years. “The people we serve come from many different situations and backgrounds, and their needs are unique,” notes Mecklenburg. “Thanks to the help of so many different organizations and groups throughout the community, we’re able to meet those needs. When Sheltering Wings says one of our residents needs help, these groups step right up to do what’s needed.”

On a chilly January morning in 2002, Sheltering Wings welcomed its first resident. Since then, more than 1,839 adults and 1,980 children have lived under the safety of the shelter’s roof, and more than 18,856 people have called the 24-hour crisis line. “Right now, we’re home to 31 adults and 30 children,” Mecklenburg adds. “We stay at full capacity most of the time. We wouldn’t be able to do that without all those organizations, and we want them to know how important they are to us and those we serve.”

For more information about Sheltering Wings and what it does to serve victims of domestic violence, visit shelteringwings.org.