Following unanimous votes by both Boards of Directors, Wheeler Mission Ministries in Indianapolis and Backstreet Missions in Bloomington will merge on Oct. 1, 2015. The merger of these two well-respected ministries will be a milestone for each and for the respective cities they serve.
Although Wheeler will bear the name of the combined organization, the quality of service and care to the homeless in the greater Bloomington area will continue. Backstreet brings much more than 20 years of experience to this merger. They, like Wheeler, are faith-based ministries with a strong Biblical emphasis on service to the poor and homeless. From their inception in 1995, Backstreet has been singularly focused on the long-term recovery of homeless men and women in all aspects of their lives — physically, mentally, emotionally and, most important, spiritually.
Wheeler Mission, founded in 1893, has provided critical services to men, women and children experiencing homelessness in central Indiana since 1893.
When asked about the decision to merge, Backstreet President and CEO Linda Kelly said, “When my late husband, Gene, and I founded Backstreet in 1995, our number one objective was to care for the homeless by demonstrating the love and compassion of Christ. As I transition to the next chapter of my life, placing Backstreet in the hands of Wheeler Mission with their rich history of serving the homeless made perfect sense.”
Wheeler Mission has had a presence in the Bloomington area since 1953 through Camp Hunt, which houses a long-term addiction recovery program for men. “With Wheeler having this addiction recovery facility so close to Bloomington, merging with Backstreet was a natural for us,” Wheeler President and CEO Rick Alvis said. “If a man who is being served by Backstreet is struggling with an addiction, he can find long-term help literally right up the road.”
