The Beginning…

A memorial for Tina Clark, a lady who had lived homeless for over 4 years.

In February 2020, on a cold day where rained turned to an icy sleet, I was doing outreach to an encampment. I met a homeless lady in her 60’s, who had been sleeping outside for over 4 years. She had been on a “housing list” for over a year. And she was depleted of hope. You could see it in her eyes. You could hear it in her voice. As I left her, she said that it was nice to meet me – blessed for those few minutes of another individual taking the time to have a conversation with her. A week later, she died. And a part of me died inside as well. Something needed to change. No more of the triage in sticking a hand out with a blanket or meal; but rather pulling one in, to an environment of safety, peace, and success.

This is where the hope for Sanctuary Indy was born.