The ‘homeless’ promised land

Being homeless isn’t easy. There’s no guarantee of shelter or food. But Bloomington’s homeless services make things easier.

The Bloomington homeless community say the city has the best homeless services in the state. The services are so good, they actually attract people from surrounding cities and counties.

The homeless in Bloomington have access to a wide range of services, including places to sleep and eat. Services like the Shalom Center even help the homeless find employment and housing.

“I think they’re really good,” said Bloomington resident William Blackwell. “In fact, I don’t really know of a town in Indiana that you could go to. Like this morning. The food?”

Blackwell was referring to the Sunday breakfast that the First Christian Church on Kirkwood provides for the homeless every Sunday morning.

“I don’t know any place else you could go to in Indiana that would have a breakfast every morning of the week like this,” Blackwell said.

Blackwell came from Bedford, where he said homeless services were “nothing.” He has been in Bloomington for nearly three years.

Also, the First Christian Church works in cooperation with several other churches in Bloomington to provide the Interfaith Winter Shelter Program which provides cots, food and drinks for the homeless.

The churches each take different nights of the week. Each church has space for 40 people and has room for overflow at Martha’s House for 10 extra people. But the churches operating the winter shelter aren’t the only places to sleep. Backstreet Missions Inc. also offers a sleeping program.

“They’re nice,” said Rob Owens, a native of Springville, Ind.. “Some places ain’t got that. And they help out with resources here too. Like the Shalom Center, they have different people come in that try to help people out with jobs and housing.”

Nellie Burkes also makes use of Bloomington’s services.

“They’re very helpful. If you need a doctor, they can help with that. They helped me get my kids’ birth certificates.”

“If it hadn’t have been for this, I don’t know where I would have went,” Blackwell said.

“I stayed away from Indy because of the way the people are up there. But I feel like if I’d have been up there, I don’t know whether I’d have been alive today or not. Around here, at least you can possibly carry a little money in your pocket. But up there, I don’t know whether you’d live or not.”