Unseasonably Low Temps Drive Homeless To Indy's Shelters

All Hoosiers have been caught off guard this week by the unseasonably frigid conditions, but the blistering cold brings a particular urgency for the area’s homeless population. Even though it seems winter has come early, Indianapolis’s homeless services organizations say they are prepared for the plummeting temps.

Wheeler Mission Ministries operates two Indy shelters — one for men, another for women and children. It also runs the city’s Winter Contingency Program, coordinating outreach and transportation to shelter’s for the city’s homeless from November to March.

Wheeler Chief Development Officer Steve Kerr says the cold snap has increased service demand earlier than usual, but that shelters were already in contingency mode.

“We’re about four weeks ahead of schedule it seems like with the weather," Kerr says. "So we are definitely being impacted by this, but the good news is that every homeless man, woman and child does have a safe place to sleep.”

Wheeler’s facilities serve as overflow shelter when others are full. Its women and children's shelter contains 80 beds and its men's facility contain 124. Wheeler provided shelter for about 106 women and children on Monday night and its men's shelter provided housing for 234; 26 and 124 above normal capacity for each shelter respectively.  

Wheeler opens up an additional facility when demand greatly exceeds capacity at its primary men's shelter, as it did Monday night. 

No one can be denied shelter in Indianapolis as a general rule when temperatures dip below freezing, but some choose not to seek it.

Andrea De Mink is executive director of the Pourhouse, a homelessness outreach organization. She says her agency tries to provide the necessary items—like coats, hats, gloves and blankets—that those refusing shelter need to keep warm.

“You know, we’re not trying to be a catering service, but we’re trying to ensure that people, especially folks who struggle with mental health issues who may not understand the danger completely of the dropping temperatures, that they are clothed and have enough comforts to keep them safe,” says De Mink.

There were 1,599 individuals counted during the city's Point-in-Time Count last year, which is an annual census of homeless individuals.