One Family’s Experience Loving Those They Didn’t Know

Through JustServe, there are countless examples of people showing love to families who have fallen on hard times—neighbors and volunteers who show up for people they’ve never met, simply because they can.

Heidi Bartle and her family are just one of countless examples. Since 2017, they have run the Colorado Springs chapter of For the Love —a charity that furnishes apartments for families as they transition out of homelessness.

One of the families the Bartles helped was a single mom and her two young daughters. “[They were] doing happy dances over matching dishes and burst into tears over a shower curtain,” Heidi recalls.

She continues, “The seven-year-old girl was very quiet as I put clean linens on her bed. She said, ‘Why are you helping us?’ I said, ‘Because we love you!’ She looked confused. ‘But you don’t even know us.’ We both cried. I didn’t need to know this family to love them.”

This kind of love drives the Bartles to keep helping people in difficult circumstances. Heidi emphasizes the importance of selfless service and treating everyone with respect.

“People experiencing homelessness—or poverty in general—deserve dignity,” she shares. “Helping them with the things they actually need makes them feel seen. It makes them feel human. The families we have helped with home furnishings look just like you and me. They are hardworking people who are down on their luck. We are all part of God’s family, and it’s our duty to help each other.”

Organizations and those aware of community needs regularly post volunteer projects on JustServe—everything from furnishing an apartment to delivering meals. Whatever time or skills you have to give, you can search for opportunities near you , or if you know of a need in your own community, you can post a project so others can join in.