Jameer is only 13 years old, but he can tell you all about the life-changing power of partnerships.

Jameer, who uses a wheelchair, lives with his father on the near Eastside of Indianapolis. Their home lacked a wheelchair ramp, which made it difficult for Jameer’s father to get his son from the house to the car and back anytime they needed to go shopping or to visit a doctor.

That’s when Partner No. 1 entered the picture. An Indianapolis-based ministry called Servants at Work (SAWS) learned about Jameer’s need and reached out to help.

SAWS, founded in 2003 by Rik Hagarty, works with volunteers to build outside ramps for lower-income people who are living with disabilities.

So, SAWS contacted Partner No. 2 — Shepherd Community Center to arrange for volunteer support for the project and to make a personal connection with Jameer and his father.

That’s when Partner No. 3 stepped up to help. 

A group of 12 high school students and four adults from a church in Illinois visited Shepherd in August to serve neighbors in the community. Shepherd connected the students with project managers from SAWS.  And a beautiful partnership was formed.

The student team, under the supervision of SAWS managers, constructed a large ramp from the front door of the family’s home through the backyard to the driveway. 

“It was a pleasure to work with this group of kids,” Chuck Rushmore from SAWS told Shepherd Director of Volunteer Engagement Donna Alexander. “Every one of the SAWS team told me how much fun this project was to do with your group. They were impressed with the students and their tenacity to complete this job.”