STOBER Serves volunteers share the love at Buffalo Trace Emergency Shelters

Several STOBER Serves volunteers recently shared the love by gathering at the Buffalo Trace Emergency Shelters to help remove debris and clean & paint the interior of the shelters.

The Buffalo Trace Homeless Coalition and Crosspoint Community Church operate the Homeless Shelters and reached out to the STOBER Serves program with the volunteer opportunity.  

Chad Current, pastor at Crosspoint Community Church, thanked the team from STOBER for their hard work. “The full trailer of trash they took to the dump made the exterior look so much better,” he said. “The team delivered a new picnic table to the site for outside seating and gave unit one a fresh coat of paint, making it look like new. The deep cleaning was so needed as well. What a difference they made! In addition to the work, every person brought a smile and a heart of service that was contagious.”

The shelters first opened in fall 2023 and provide up to seven day stays for those needing emergency assistance, especially when places such as the ION Center and River Outreach are full. The morning after STOBER’s volunteer day, a grandmother and her two grandchildren moved into the shelter after the cost of unexpectedly taking on two children became more than anticipated. She had fallen behind, couldn’t catch up, and had no place to go. Current told STOBER Serves volunteers that Welcome House was working to find her long-term housing and she was able to experience respite in the shelters.

“[STOBER] volunteers are now a part of directing impacting stories like these in our community,” Current said. “Thank you!”

STOBER Serves volunteers love hearing stories of success related to their volunteer efforts. “It’s awesome to get that feedback and know that the work is benefiting those in need,” said Chris Breeze, STOBER production manager.

STOBER Serves was formally established in 2024 by the Culture Team at STOBER Drives as a way for employees to give back to their communities while also gaining fulfilling, uplifting experiences.  Employees are empowered to volunteer without giving up a day’s pay, so it’s also beneficial to their mental health and morale.

The first organized STOBER Serves events centered around the beautification of Cummins Nature Preserve when 25 STOBER employees volunteered throughout three different days, resulting in 100 hours of time devoted to the project.

STOBER Serves is glad to dedicate time to serving the community and looks forward to additional upcoming volunteer opportunities.  If you are a member of a local organization that could benefit from STOBER Serves volunteers, please click the link below to learn more about submitting a volunteer request.