Ignatian Volunteers use their talents to help improve the lives of people in need. In the Cleveland metropolitan area, Ignatian Volunteers tutor teens and adults, help find jobs and housing, mentor young parents, assist in refugee and migration programs, provide services for those who are homeless, and help with administration, fund-raising, and community outreach. The yearlong commitment of the Ignatian Volunteer amounts to having a skilled part-time staff person who is internally motivated and externally supported to serve over the course of time.
The Cleveland community participates regularly in spiritual reflection, an integral part of the IVC experience. Volunteers meet with a spiritual reflector to talk about the meaning of their work, beyond the service experience itself…and how it is contributes to growing their faith. The IVC community gathers monthly to pray, reflect and share service experiences. One volunteer explained why he joined IVC:
“…There are many volunteer organizations that do tremendous good works, but to my knowledge there are few organizations that combine spirituality with good works. It is this aspect which attracted me to IVC. Carrying that one step further is the Ignatian Spirituality which means a great deal to me.”
Another volunteer had this to say about the Spiritual Reflection component of the IVC program:
“My participation in IVC enhanced my spiritual growth the deepened my Ignatian sense of mission. Meeting with my spiritual reflector also provided support for what I was doing.”