Homeless children can be found all around us... can you see them?
A note from the Director of Restoring Lives West, a homeless teen drop-in shelter in Indianapolis:
"...These past few weeks many things have gone on with the young people. I had two of them get baptized Easter morning. They also got married last weekend and are expecting their baby in November. I got to go for the ultrasound how cool. An eighteen year old got a job at Wal-mart and has found semi-permanent housing that will allow him to continue with school. Two young parents were here a few minutes ago for food and to let me know they both have interviews tomorrow for jobs. They are trying to finish school also.
Some of my stories are not as positive. Last week I had a young lady here that I had not seen for several months. She continues to put herself in scary situations and keeps choosing to make negative decisions. I have another young man who even though he is going to school continues to hang around people who encourage him to get in trouble. That is the hard part of my job. Many times I can see where they are headed and they are not ready to listen. It can become very frustrating for those who see it happening. Please pray for us to say the right words."
It is emails like this that keep me, the author of this page, encouraged and determined to continue talking about the needs of the kids around us...the kids that we don't even see!
"...These past few weeks many things have gone on with the young people. I had two of them get baptized Easter morning. They also got married last weekend and are expecting their baby in November. I got to go for the ultrasound how cool. An eighteen year old got a job at Wal-mart and has found semi-permanent housing that will allow him to continue with school. Two young parents were here a few minutes ago for food and to let me know they both have interviews tomorrow for jobs. They are trying to finish school also.
Some of my stories are not as positive. Last week I had a young lady here that I had not seen for several months. She continues to put herself in scary situations and keeps choosing to make negative decisions. I have another young man who even though he is going to school continues to hang around people who encourage him to get in trouble. That is the hard part of my job. Many times I can see where they are headed and they are not ready to listen. It can become very frustrating for those who see it happening. Please pray for us to say the right words."
It is emails like this that keep me, the author of this page, encouraged and determined to continue talking about the needs of the kids around us...the kids that we don't even see!
Aug 2008 Facts and Figures for Marion County
"Homeless Youth in Marion County face grim prospects"
"Analysts estimate that between 5,000 to 7,500 children and youth in Marion County are homeless, a situation that makes them more likely to fail in school, become physically or mentally ill, and use aggressive behavior that lands them in the court system."
Read more via the following link...
Research for a Healthier Indiana
From the Restoring Lives West Newsletter:
"We have been given the challenge of sharing God's love with each of these young people. It is a huge responsibility and one that we look forward to each day."
Read more via the following link...
Research for a Healthier Indiana
From the Restoring Lives West Newsletter:
"We have been given the challenge of sharing God's love with each of these young people. It is a huge responsibility and one that we look forward to each day."
Restoring Lives West is a newly opened drop-in center for homeless kids in Indianapolis.
Restoring Lives West
Mission Statement
Restoring Lives West, Inc. (RLW) is a Christian ministry on the west side of Indianapolis (Indiana) reaching out to the homeless and at risk young adults with the compassion of Christ in an environment of God's love. RLW empowers youth by providing street outreach, a youth drop-in center, referral to social services, and educational/job training projects through community relationships.
Services offered by Restoring Lives West
RLW is a drop-in center for the youth on the streets of Indianapolis. The following services are offered.
- Safe place with a home-like environment
- Haircuts
- Hot meals (and food pantry)
- Clothing
- Showers
- Laundry services
- Mentoring
- Spiritual guidance and counseling
- Bible study
- Help getting birth certificates and legal docs
- Finding jobs
"The average age of homeless children in the US is 7 years old."
Special Offer when You Donate!
Give a child in your life a fun poetry book!
The author of Little Rhymes for Quiet Times children's book is giving a signed copy to anyone willing to donate to Restoring Lives West. As the illustrator, I will also sign it as a double bonus!
This can be done through my Bonanzle booth or you can contact me directly via email.
Want Hope Garrett to speak to your group?
If you would like someone to address your group concerning this topic, please feel free to call her to schedule a time! 317-402-5101
These kids need a hand to reach out.
"The majority of these kids are on the street as a result of intense family problems."
Why are these kids out there?
These youth find themselves on the street because of physical abuse, sexual abuse, neglect, and/or emotional abuse.
Some are runaways, while others have been kicked out of their homes.
Some have been in the child welfare system, while others have tried to get services but fell through the cracks, receiving little to no help.
The majority; however, are on the street as a result of intense family problems. Others remain at home but turn to the street culture for solace.
Some are runaways, while others have been kicked out of their homes.
Some have been in the child welfare system, while others have tried to get services but fell through the cracks, receiving little to no help.
The majority; however, are on the street as a result of intense family problems. Others remain at home but turn to the street culture for solace.
Donations!
Money donated to Restoring Lives West is tax deductible.
Ways to help locally ...
"Lynhurst Baptist Church closed on the house at 1318 S. Lynhurst Dr.! Restoring Lives West will need to sign the lease and zoning will need to be changed from residential to commercial before we can begin work on the house. However, we are planning a prayer time on Sunday June 28th at 2:00 p.m. at the location. We want to bless the house and all that will be involved in the construction and those who will benefit from the structure. Please feel free to come and help us begin this new adventure seaking God's blessings and guidance." - Hope Garrett
Would you like to volunteer?
The Volunteer Survey is a Word document that can be downloaded.
Please give me feedback
What would be most helpful to highlight on this page? Or do you just want to give us a comment? We would love to hear from some of our readers!
poutine wrote...
Very well explained about the plight of the homeless children.
Lensrolling it to:
An Ode To People Who Helps The Homeless
Posted March 23, 2009
Vic_Goodman wrote...
Shocking...7 years old. I had no idea.
Great lens with lots of good info about something many know little about.
Keep up the great work you're doing...It will make a difference.
Posted March 11, 2009
TopStyleTravel wrote...
Great lens, the homeless need voices raised in their behalf. Congrats on the Top 100!
Posted February 24, 2009
Videos that illlustrate the need
These videos are from Big Idea Company, LLC. and feature kids in South Bend Indiana. The need is in many cities around us and even in your own city.
Local Links
- Restoring Lives West
- Indianapolis Westside
- Outreach Indiana
- Indianapolis Eastside
- StandUp For Kids
- Find volunteers in your state: StandUp For Kids is a non-profit organization for homeless at risk youth
- A MUST READ-by Anne Ryder
- Indianapolis Woman Magazine - Archived Article September 2005
- Indiana Dept. of Education
- PDF file about state agencies helping
- McKinney Homeless Program
- McKinney-Vento Homeless Home Page: Many schools are currently encountering the challenge of growing numbers of highly mobile children and youth who live in poverty or who may be escaping a violent home situation. It is estimated that there are 1 million homeless children in the United States (Homele
- Center for the Homeless - 813 South Michigan Street - South Bend, Indiana
- At the Center for the Homeless in South Bend, Indiana, our mission is to break the cycle of homelessness; bring together disparate groups so that each can discover the worth, dignity and potential of the other and pioneer a service model worthy of replication.
- Horizons For Homeless Children
- Evansville Indiana
- Muncie Homeless Shelter and Low-Income Housing in Muncie Indiana
- Bridges Community Services provides homeless sheltering, transitional housing for low-income families, and information on poverty in Delaware County.
- CHIP
- Coalition for Homelessness
- Indy School on Wheels
- Indy School on Wheels
How I personally got involved...
With my 25th high school reunion looming in August 2008, Classmates.com was hopping as people began to reconnect. I decided to update my online information with photos of my new business venture, (Squangles), combining my illustrations and the poetry of a local author (Charlotte Frank).It was from that simple action that my life would be affected in a most profound way. A classmate, Hope Garrett, whom I had not seen in 25 years contacted me about donating one of my children's art pieces to a silent auction for Restoring Lives West.
That was the beginning of a journey I now find myself on and that I want to share with others!
Giving of Ourselves
Sometimes we don't have the money. Sometimes we don't have the time, experience, or knowledge for starting something like this. But all of us reading this page have something we can give to lend our support to those who do.
It just takes discovering the need...and then offering what we have.
Thinking out of the box...
Hope has opened my mind up to thinking outside the box in ways I can donate when I don't have time, am too far away physically, or don't have ready cash.
Please add your ideas to the list!
Donate an item for the silent auction
Donate something worthwile to the silent auction!0 points
Computer skills?
Create a web page or offer to help support their c more...0 points
Free up the social worker(s) by helping with basics
Shelters need food, laundry, cleaning, you name it more...0 points
Add your book choices on this subject:
No One Sees Me by David Sleppy
In his new book, No One Sees Me, photographer and more...1 point
Cross and the Switchblade, The, 45th ann. ed. by David Wilkerson, John and Elizabeth Sherrill
Fifty years ago, when a lanky country preacher ste more...0 points
Run, Baby, Run by Nicky Cruz
A followup to The Cross and the Switchblade0 points
Soul Obsession: When God's Primary Pursuit Becomes Your Life's Driving Passion by Nicky Cruz
How Nicky (Run Baby Run) is now helping street kid more...0 points
Add Appropriate Links
http://www.outreachindiana.org/
Outreach Indiana is a children's homeless shelter more...1 point
Emergency Plumber
24-7 emergency plumbing service to home plumbing i more...0 points
Homeless Children In the US Web Links
- Homeless Children Pictures
- Homeless children pictures and the places they seek shelter (squats).
- Pictures of Hope program dares homeless children to dream big
- Ask most kids today what they want and the list probably sounds a lot like this: A Nintendo Wii. An iPod. The latest cell phone. Cool clothes or a crazy car. But for the homeless children living at the SAMMinistries Transitional Living and Learning Center on Blanco Road, the requests are far simpler
- The Little Red Wagon Foundation
- kids helping kids, street kids, homeless, donations
- We think: Homeless children in Seminole reflect big-picture challenge in finding remedies -- OrlandoSentinel.com
- This area's homeless quandary is perfectly framed by recent news out of Seminole County :
- HEAR US - Ending Homelessness of Children - Homeless Children - Homeless Child Illinois
- HEAR US is a uniques non-profit corporation dependent on donations and grants to support its unique and essential mission of ending homelessness. Located in the Chicago, Illinois area, Hear Us is dedicated to helping to end the problem of Homeless. Homelessness in America is a real problem, there ar
- HEAR US- It's About the Children
- HEAR US is a uniques non-profit corporation dependent on donations and grants to support its unique and essential mission of ending homelessness.
- About Alpha
- The Alpha Project
- Heather's Closet
News Links about the Growing Homeless Issue
I am adding links as I read about news reports. If you have a news report you wish to add, please send it to me!
- In hard times, tent cities rise across the country - Yahoo! News
- A few tents cropped up hard by the railroad tracks, pitched by men left with nowhere to go once the emergency winter shelter closed for the summer.
- Homeless in America - USA Growing Homeless Problem - Speak Out
- Homeless in America - Homeless shelters, missions and links to help make us think.
- Homeless in America: Homeless In America
- Homeless In America on blogspot.com
- Homeless In America
- Homelessness in America: A growing concern in America for the last twenty years or so that has been subject to nothing but endless dispute.
- Zimbio Pilot - Homelessness
- National Coalition for the Homeless
Organizations that help communities
A mix of links that are generally helping local communities.
- Organizations - ABC.com
- Various organizations that are about helping our communities.
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Hi! My name is Sheri Garvin. I am a writer and an artist and new to Squidoo. Please feel free to give me feedback as I begin to share my many passio... (more)
