Ida “Smith” spent the last 12 years sleeping outside, mostly on park benches near Memphis’ legendary Beale Street. On the streets, she endured so much violence and abuse even her seasoned caseworker had trouble shaking off her story.
Recently Smith was able to move into a permanent apartment where she is safe thanks to the 100,000 Homes Campaign, where communities across America are solving a continual epidemic – homelessness.
Indianapolis has jumped on board with the initiative, a national movement of communities working together to find permanent homes for 100,000 of the countries most vulnerable homeless individuals and families by July 2014.
Stephanie Sideman, program manager of a corporation for supportive housing, describes the most vulnerable as those with chronic homelessness. It is known as a long-term or repeated homelessness coupled with a disability. The chronically homeless tend to cycle in and out of homeless shelters, hospitals, criminal justice facilities and other service institutions.
“These individuals have been homeless at least six months or more, have medical conditions, maybe HIV or diabetes, or mental illnesses. They are battling this alone, on the streets,” said Sideman.
The chronically homeless almost universally have a major disability, the two most common being schizophrenia and/or an alcohol or drug addiction.
According to the Coalition for Homelessness Intervention and Prevention (CHIP), one study indicated that the chronic homeless constitute between 10 and 20 percent of the homeless population in Indianapolis.
Some don’t realize the capacity in which homelessness affects our nation. Homelessness in America is a public health emergency. The mortality rate for street homelessness is on par with some forms of cancer, cutting a person’s lifespan by an average of 25 years according to experts.
The 100,000 Homes Campaign seeks to end those startling statistics by accomplishing the following:
Housing First: permanent housing happens first and fast so that no one battles a disease, disability, mental illness or substance abuse without the safety and stability of a home.
Know Who’s Out There: volunteers and local agencies will deliberately go out to the streets to find the chronically homeless, assess their needs and meet them where they are at. In Indianapolis those days are Jan. 29 through 31 from 4 to 7 a.m.
Tracking Progress: local multi-sector teams that use regularly collected, person-specific data to accurately track their progress towards ending homelessness for their most vulnerable neighbors.
Improve Local Systems: housing and service systems that are simple and easy to navigate, while targeting resources quickly and efficiently to the people and families who need them most.
Christy Shepard, executive director for CHIP, says the city is partnering with local agencies, including Corporation for Housing, Indiana Housing Authority and more in an effort to make the 100,000 Homes Campaign successful.
“We appreciate everyone coming together and showing the power that happens when a community unites. We are only as strong as our community and our partners. We’re here not to just give a hand out, but to give a hand up,” said Shepard.
Sideman is hopeful that more partners will join the 100,000 Homes Campaign to help those who ultimately cannot help themselves.
“It’ll bring us close to ending chronic homelessness, which we really can do. One of our philosophies is it takes a village and it really does.”
Ida “Smith’s” information was obtained from 100khomes.org. For more information about the 100,000 Homes Campaign visit 100khomes.org.
Volunteer
You can donate your talents, time, finances or gently used items to help the 100,000 Homes Campaign. Call (317) 630-0853 to find out how you can help the chronic homelessness in Indianapolis today.
