Envoy Miller Named Vikings/U.S. Bank Hometown Hero
On November 30, 2008, Envoy Bill Miller was honored as a Hometown Hero by the Minnesota Vikings and U.S. Bank. This program honors Minnesota citizens that have done extraordinary things to benefit their community. During each regular season Vikings home game during the 2008 season, one "Hometown Hero" was recognized. Vikings Hometown Heroes are chosen based on things they have done to positively impact their communities and not because of individual accomplishments.
Envoy Miller was honored for his ongoing service to the homeless in Minneapolis. At graduate school for social work at the University of Kentucky, Bill Miller decided his thesis would be based around the problem of homelessness. To get a good picture of what homeless people deal with, he and a buddy spent a month living on the streets of Lexington. After cycling through government and nonprofit programs, he discovered that the Salvation Army stood out.
"The Salvation Army was the only organization that treated me like a person and not a case or a number," said Miller. "I went to great lengths to look worn and dirty. People wouldn't even look me in the eye. I'd see some of my college friends on the streets and they didn't recognize me. To them I was just one of the faceless homeless. I vowed after that, if given a chance, I would spend my life serving the homeless."
Miller is now the Executive Director of The Salvation Army's largest outreach in the Twin Cities which serves people 24 hours a day, 365 days a year. Harbor Light Center houses up to 450 men and women on any given night, serves well over 1,000 hot meals a day, provides addiction recovery services, life-skills training, free health care services and above all spiritual guidance. Miller not only manages this mammoth institution, but is the pastor to a burgeoning congregation in The Salvation Army's Harbor Light church.
"I would challenge people to come down and see what we do," encourages Miller. "Not only will you get a better understanding of our organization but you'll have a better understanding of the people we serve. All people really want is love and respect. You don't just throw a life away because it's been beat up a little."
With the thousands of meals served weekly there's a need for men and women to help work in the kitchen to prepare and serve food. Harbor Light also needs welcome kits that include toiletries and new undergarments. In addition there are needs for good adult clothing and at this time for warm winter coats and hats, mittens and scarves.
To learn how you can be involved click here.
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