By WaTasha Barnes Griffin—
MUNCIE, IN—There is a time for independent action and a time for collaboration. There’s a time for singular objectives and a time for the collective good.
We’re at that moment in Muncie.
You’ve probably heard about the decision by the City of Muncie to close the Muncie Inn, a longtime location for the unhoused, and sometimes for addicts or recovering addicts. It’s a place most don’t want to go near because of what they know to be there.
The decision was not made lightly.
The City of Muncie, to a certain extent across various administrations, have looked the other way. It’s not that they wish to ignore crime, but they’ve wanted to give time to squatters who must find another place.
All that came to a head recently when the city gave notice to the owner and condemned the building. Directives are posted, and evictions are being enforced.
This is the face of homelessness in Muncie. And it isn’t pretty. While people “live” at the Inn, they don’t qualify as “homeless,” but that’s what they are.
The Delaware County Housing Consortium, made up of local agencies focused on the unhoused – including YWCA Central Indiana, Muncie Mission, Christian Ministries, A Better Way, Meridian Health Services and IU Health Ball Memorial Hospital – is working a three-year plan designed to end homelessness for families and youth. To end it. It is an ambitious goal but to not do this means catastrophic outcomes.
Like the one we’re facing now. Those of us in this business are doing the best we can. But it’s still a crisis.
The need is dire.
The number of individuals experiencing homelessness is still the highest it has been since 2017.
Black residents continue to be disproportionately affected by homelessness. Black, female-led families are showing up in shelters more often. The greatest at-risk youth are disproportionately trans and LGBTQ populations.
The stereotypical view of what homelessness is, or better still, who it is, slows progress. The image of the lazy grifter comes to mind.
In fact, the lack of affordable, quality housing is the No. 1 cause of homelessness. Poverty and unemployment are other reasons. A chronic illness and domestic violence often lead to homelessness.
In Muncie, there is a severe lack of affordable, quality housing. Solving this issue means working across agencies, with shared, accountability. It means working with mission-driven landlords to give second chances.
At YWCA Central Indiana we believe in second chances.
We’ve been serving women and their children in Muncie since 1911. Our shelter took on more women and their children with the decision to condemn the Muncie Inn. It’s a stark reminder of why we do what we do.
Our programs address the fact that far too many women experience violence and lack economic security, and these issues disproportionately impact women of color.
We work proactively to transform individual lives through direct service and education and to change institutions through training and advocacy.
YWCA Central Indiana is the only crisis emergency shelter program in Central Indiana, that provides safe housing for women and their children. It is the only shelter in central Indiana that will house a woman with male children up to age 17.
We provide safe places for women and girls, build strong women leaders and advocate for women’s rights and civil rights in Congress.
We cannot do this alone. We need you.
To donate and to learn more about our work visit ywcacentralindiana.org
WaTasha Barnes Griffin is the President and Chief Executive Officer of YWCA Central Indiana.
