Seeking Help
Are you in immediate need of emergency shelter? We want to help if we can.
Are you in immediate need of emergency shelter? We want to help if we can.
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STEP 1: Call us between 9:00am and 3:00pm Monday-Friday at 317-261-1562 to check if we have space.
STEP 2: If we have space, make sure you can answer "True" to all of the following:
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There is at least one child under 18 years old in my household. Because we are a family shelter program.
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I am not fleeing domestic violence. Because we are not a secure or hidden site for families at risk of violence.
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There is nobody on the National Sex Offender Registry in my family. Because with the children present in our shelter program, we will not accept any one with a prior conviction for a sex offense (and legally we cannot because we are within 1,000 feet of a school).
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If accepted, I could arrive at the Family Promise Day Center today. Because we only do same day intake interviews. We do not make appointments for later in the week due to very high demand. We can consider picking you up, but that is dependent on having available staff.
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NOTE: If you couldn't answer "True" to any of these, call 2-1-1 to find out what other shelters or assistance programs might be available to you.
STEP 3: If you answered "True" to those questions, we will do a phone screening that will last 10-20 minutes.
STEP 4: You will be invited in for an in-person interview at one of our vacant apartment units--probably for that same day. While the interview is not a guarantee of acceptance into the program, we encourage you to bring all of your belongings possible. If you are in Indianapolis and need a ride, please tell us during the phone screening. At the interview we will do a drug test, and if you test positive, you will have to return when the you can pass the drug test.
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What happens if I'm accepted in?
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First, we will have you participate in a heating process that kills any potential bed bugs and their eggs, so you know you (and we) are safe. Then we will transport you and your family to a furnished apartment that we utilize as a shelter. The apartment complexes that we partner with are all around Indianapolis, but unfortunately given we typically only have one unit available at a time, we cannot give you a choice where you will stay. You will be responsible for taking care of the apartment and cooking your own food. We will support you with food assistance, transportation, and more to see that you are not just able to meet your basic needs, but are able to begin a path to securing housing. You are given a 30-day stay when you begin, but you can earn 15-day extensions at a time for making progress to securing your own housing. We will do housing inspections once per week, and participation is required.
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Other Shelters
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Indianapolis only has a few shelters for families, and there are many families in need. Many shelters are full, and we--like others--get 10 calls per day, but we are designed to only accept eight families at a time. Other family shelters we refer to include Dayspring Center (317-635-6780) and Holy Family Shelter (317-635-7830). You can also try calling the Homeless Initiative Program (HIP) at 317-957-2275. While HIP does not run a shelter, they do have case managers that might have an opening to help you until a shelter opens. When in doubt, call 2-1-1 any time of day to talk to an operator and learn about all the resources the community has set up to help people in need.
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May God grant you the serenity to accept the things you cannot change, courage to change the things you can, and wisdom to know the difference. (Serenity Prayer)