Campaign To Aid Indy's Homeless Is Helping

The first report is out for a campaign to help homeless people in Indianapolis.  The Know Outlets initiative was launched late last year to raise funds for and awareness about, the needs of the homeless in downtown Indy. 

The program aims to simplify giving by creating accessible outlets like branded donation boxes and parking meters and a new website.  

This week the campaign released its first impact report that finds more than $31,000 has been raised. That the money is making difference in the lives of homeless people in Indy, says Christy Shepard, executive director of the Coalition for Homelessness Intervention and Prevention.

"We’ve had 19 individuals that comprise seven families and they’re in housing because of the work of the street outreach teams and because of the funding that the community has rallied to put forward," says Shepard.

Shepard says since the program started, the street outreach teams have been able to connect with around 3,000 of the estimated 8,000 homeless people in Indianapolis. 

This coalition is also hosting Poverty Simulation event Wednesday evening at City Market where people will be able to experience a “day in the life" of someone supported by the Know Outlets campaign.