06/18/2026
❤ Mike Westenberg is our volunteer of the week and the recipient in the Heart of Gold Lifetime Achievement Category at the 2026 Volunteer Awards, presented by Wisconsin Public Service Foundation! ❤
Mike's quiet, steady service has made an extraordinary difference in this community. For more than two decades, he has helped make sure that one of the most basic human needs is met for people experiencing homelessness: a warm, nourishing evening meal. Since 2005, he has served as the volunteer meal coordinator for St. John's Ministries during the cold weather shelter season. Every single night from November through April, Mike makes sure dinner is ready. For someone arriving at the shelter after waiting outside in Wisconsin's winter cold, sometimes for hours in the snow or 10-degree temperatures, that meal means a lot. It's not just food. It's warmth and a reminder that someone cares. It's a moment where a guest can sit down, eat, and feel welcomed.
Over the past 21 years, Mike has helped make possible more than 250,000 meals for people experiencing homelessness. Each season, he coordinates more than 130 volunteer meal teams, working with churches, community groups, and returning volunteers to make sure every night is covered. He schedules months in advance and stays in close communication with teams, building the relationships that make this program work year after year. Mike loves connecting with the people behind every meal: the church group serving for the first time, the volunteers who return year after year, and the guests who greet a familiar face with a smile. Thank you, Mike! Because of your commitment, thousands in our community have been welcomed not only with food but with dignity.
