Upon hearing the jarring sound of an alarm clock, most residents in the Indianapolis community stumble out of bed and begin their morning rituals. Perhaps it includes checking the mail, or taking a shower – two seemingly simple tasks that may not be immediately recognized as a luxury, unless one is a member of Indianapolis’ growing homeless population.
In early 2000, an older woman who was staying at a local shelter asked a then homeless LuWanna Jennings to take a walk to Horizon House. Jennings, who lived on the streets for over a decade, had become jaded with the system. She described going to visit service providers and being mistreated.
“I would go places and be turned away for not having proper documentation or I.D.,” she said. “There were instances where I would have an appointment with someone at 9 a.m. but have to wait around until noon… I would hear the workers say it didn’t matter what time I got there because it wasn’t like I had anything else to do.”
Jennings’ story mirrors that of the thousands of homeless individuals currently living in Indianapolis. Due to governmental funding issues, many service providers struggle to meet the needs of the community. Horizon House, a homeless resource center, understands these challenges all too well, but continues to try to make a difference, one neighbor at a time.
Initially, she wasn’t thrilled about going to Horizon House but decided to give it a shot anyway. Upon walking in, she was greeted by a volunteer.
“She treated me with respect,” said Jennings. “She asked me what I needed and treated me like a person.” Jennings became a regular at the center and even went on to start a women’s outreach program and eventually served on the center’s executive board, a role she had to vacate while studying for her master’s at Christian Theological Seminary. Today, she continues to share her testimony via the pulpit and in board rooms as a public speaker and ambassador for the center.
“We want everyone who comes in to be treated with respect, dignity and hospitality and a part of that is recognizing the folks that come here are truly our neighbors and not so much our clients,” said Mary Stickelmaier, director of development and communications at Horizon House. “These are people in our community that may just need a little bit of hope to get back to where they were or back to a life where they are able to have a place to live, jobs and so forth.”
The Horizon House, located south of downtown, offers a variety of services including food, clothing, showers, restrooms, mail delivery, laundry, case management, an employment program, a health center that holistically integrates mental and physical health services and more. Indiana Legal Services provides free in-house legal counsel.
“Our aim is to help someone overcome their barriers to end their homelessness,” said Stickelmaier.
This year, Horizon House has served 2,156 people in total and has about 164 visits per day. Their employment program has helped 84 neighbors find jobs. Although the center receives some federal funding from the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development, those dollars are limited and the center must find creative ways to make ends meet. Volunteers are always welcomed to come and assist the staff and fundraisers are held throughout the year.
On Sept. 14, Horizon House will hold their Tackling Homelessness event at the Indianapolis Colts Training Facility on the city’s northwest side. The evening, hosted by Joe Reitz of the Colts and his wife Jill, will feature a keynote address from former neighbor LuWanna Jennings, autograph signings from Colts players, a barbecue buffet and an auction. Proceeds from the event will be used to fund Horizon House’s services and outreach efforts.
Tickets for the event are still available and auction items; which include: Colts autographed merchandise, a week-long condo stay in Captiva, Fla., and tickets to the 100th running of Indy 500 and more can be bid on by the general public online starting Sept. 8.
For more information on Horizon House and how to become involved, visit indianapolisrecorder.com.
