Making an Impact

On a single night in January 2021, 1,928 individuals in Indianapolis alone were experiencing homelessness. This information is collected every year by Coalition for Homelessness Intervention and Prevention (CHIP) which conducts an annual census called the Point in Time Count. Over a week representatives headed to the streets and recorded this count as well as gathered demographic and location information. This census is critical to the planning and development of the national and local homelessness prevention and intervention systems. 

CHIP believes that successful efforts towards ending homelessness require the collective talents, resources, and commitment of the entire Indianapolis community and that no one group, or individual can address these issues alone. They make this a priority including by partnering with community organizations, Professional Blended Street Outreach, and community volunteers who all help to conduct this annual census.  

One tool these groups found to be incredibly valuable as an incentive for individuals to complete the survey was IndyGo bus passes. Indianapolis Public Transportation Foundation (IPTF) was happy to grant bus passes to CHIP as well as 37 other nonprofit organizations during the last bus pass grant round. Because many of those surveyed rely on public transportation as their only way to get around, they were very appreciative of the gifted bus passes. Those bus passes help to give CHIP the information they need to continue, as Chelsea Haring-Cozzi, CHIP’s Executive Director puts it, “advancing solutions to making homelessness rare, brief, and nonrecurring.” 

Transportation is an important and vital part of ending homelessness and thriving in our modern society. IPTF is proud to partner with 63 nonprofit organizations in Marion County last year as we strive to remove barriers to transportation, the number one equalizer our city has to offer. 

If you would like to learn more about how to get involved with IPTF and our work to remove transportation barriers visit our website at https://www.indygo.net/foundation/.  

To learn more about CHIP and join their mission as they mobilize, advocate, and empower community collaboration toward ending homelessness and fostering an effective system of homelessness prevention and intervention in the greater Indianapolis area, visit their website at https://www.chipindy.org/.