The Silent Epidemic - Homeless Children of Indianapolis
Ranked #284 in Nonprofits, #84,758 overall
Homeless children can be found all around us... can you see them?
On any given night in Indianapolis 1500 people are homeless. Restoring Lives West is a drop in center for homeless and at risk young adults (16-24) located on the west side of Indianapolis. We have served over 100 youth in the past 2 ½ years, providing them with basic needs such as food, clothing, showers, and laundry facilities. We also work with them one-on-one, assisting them with transportation, finding work, getting back in school and referring them to other services that they may need to break the cycle of homelessness.
“The average age of homeless children in the US is 7 years old.”
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."
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 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.
Lend a helping hand...support Restoring Lives West
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
Money donated to Restoring Lives West is tax deductible.
We have recently set-up a PayPal account through our website at www.restoringliveswest.org. We also accept checks at Restoring Lives West, Inc 709 S. Lynhurst Dr. Indianapolis, IN 46241 or you can stop by and drop off your check. Thank you!
Ways to help locally ...
"We have been very busy with clients recently. There have been several young families who have been displaced and have required help with housing, gas and even bus fare to return home. All of this continues to require funds. With taking care of the young people we are having difficulties keeping up with our monthly expenses." - Hope Garrett
Needs include:
Monthly expenses of RLW (rent etc)
Bus passes
Food
Shelter
Simple basics
Needs include:
Monthly expenses of RLW (rent etc)
Bus passes
Food
Shelter
Simple basics
Would you like to volunteer?
The Volunteer Survey is a Word document that can be downloaded.
Thinking out of the box...
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
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.
Comments?
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!
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Jun 15, 2011 @ 10:04 am | delete
- Great stuff!! I like your lens; I'm also building a site Drinking how much is too much which is really useful for drinkers.
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Jack2205
Feb 24, 2011 @ 7:02 pm | delete
- Blessed by a Charity Squid Angel.
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sabrinasignsrocks
Dec 26, 2010 @ 2:07 am | delete
- Awesome lens. My family of 5 was homeless last year at this time. From Oct-April we had no place to call home. My little brother was 8, it was a dark time even though our family stayed together.......
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mcochs
Dec 7, 2010 @ 7:13 pm | delete
- Awesome informative and helpful lens! Blessed by a Squidoo Angel on 12/07/2010! Have a wonderful day!
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BonnieWilham
Sep 22, 2010 @ 4:29 am | delete
- Hi,
On Saturday Nov 20th our youth will be attending our Indiana State Youth Convention. During their free time of 345-630 our youth would like to do a community service project that would involve them meeting some homeless teens. One idea was that ahead of time they prepare sacks that would contain McDonald's coupons, gloves and socks(or any other suggestions you might have). Then if we knew where the teens were, we could take the sacks to them. These youth are also open to helping work..paint, clean up, or what ever is asked of them. We wish we had more time, but maybe this will stir some hearts and open some doors that we would be able to serve again.
Thanks for any help you send our way!
Blessings,
Bonnie
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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
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
Too Small to Ignore: Why the Least of These Matters Most by Wess Stafford
The time has come, argues Dr. Wess Stafford, for a 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 Indiana Links
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http://www.outreachindiana.org/
Outreach Indiana is a children's homeless shelter more...1 point
3
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 have recently returned to college to add more design training into my art. Please feel fr... more »
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