On January 25th, 2012, 1,647 people were counted as homeless in Marion County.
One-third of those are families.
One-third of those are families.
(177
families to be exact)
In
those families, 315 are children.
360
are women fleeing from domestic violence.
351
are veterans.
Of
those that were counted, most were in transitional living facilities and emergency
shelters that night because of the cold.
3,171
students in Marion County are living without permanent housing.
It has been estimated
that there could be 3 to 4 times as many people facing homelessness than how
many were counted on January 25th, 2012.
These and other statistics can be found at CHIPIndy.org
What can you do?
TELL PEOPLE WHAT YOU’VE LEARNED.
What can you do?
TELL PEOPLE WHAT YOU’VE LEARNED.
The most powerful tool we have is
simply talking to people about the issues our community faces every single day.
If people know beforehand about
the problems facing our community and the resources available, they will be
better prepared to help solve them when they come into contact with them as
they go about their everyday life.
It’s as simple as, “Hey, did you
know that there are homeless children in Indianapolis? Hey, did you know that this
organization helps the 360 women who are fleeing from domestic violence? Hey,
did you know…” Simple.
Chances are, they might not know.
Let’s bridge the gaps between
people in our community by creating an understanding of both the problems we
face and the resources that give us hope.
FAQ
I have
items I want to donate, but don’t know who could use them. Where can I find
that out?
Go to chipindywishlist.org. CHIP Indy (The
Coalition for Homelessness Intervention and Prevention) has setup a way for
agencies across Indianapolis to post things that they currently need – both
volunteers and donation items. Check it out!
What is
the best thing to do if I meet a person who is homeless on the street or see a
panhandler? Should I give them money?
Ultimately, you need to be the judge of whether
or not money is the best thing they need. The truth is, most panhandlers aren’t
actually homeless. If you want to help those facing homelessness, we suggest
that you help organizations who are doing that every day and direct the
homeless to the resources already available.
CHIP Indy has developed a Handbook of Help that lists all the resources
available in Indianapolis. To get handbooks to hand out, contact
chip@chipindy.org or download the handbook at:
http://www.chipindy.org/uploaded/Handbook%20of%20Help_2012.pdf
Where can I volunteer?
Again,
chipindywishlist.org is an excellent resource to get plugged into an
organization to volunteer with. However, we suggest that you volunteer not just
anywhere – but with a place that you are passionate about. That way, you are
more likely to continue to volunteer with them on a regular basis. That’s what
our community needs.
Where can I get more information about
homelessness?
There isn’t
a huge fact-sheet about homelessness that covers everything. Several
organizations’ websites are listed below – but don’t stress out about being an
expert. Knowing what is going on in your community is good. Actually going out
and making a difference is better. Learn enough to talk to others about it –
enough to become an advocate. As the Lord leads, go and volunteer or donate
whenever you can. Above all else, love.
For statistics from the 2012 Homeless Point-in-Time Count, visit: http://www.chipindy.org/CountReport.php
chipindy.org | outreachindiana.org
trustedmentors.org | familypromise.org
dayspringindy.org | salvationarmyindiana.org
wwm.org | hvafofindiana.org
horizonhouse.cc | homewardboundindiana.org
coburnplace.org | juliancenter.org
Questions? Email us at ode@odetotheforgotten.org
