By Philip Phi
Posted Aug 16, 2026 at 4:25 PM
In Marion County, the issue of homelessness has prompted diverse attitudes and approaches, as evidenced by a recent initiative in Indianapolis. On a chilly January evening, volunteers gathered at Goodwill Horizon House, bracing against the 13-degree weather to support the Coalition for Homelessness Intervention & Prevention (CHIP) and Professional Blended Street Outreach (PBSO). Their mission was to conduct a Point-in-Time (PIT) Count, an annual effort to determine the number of individuals experiencing homelessness in the area.
The 2024 PIT Count revealed a 5% increase in homelessness in Indianapolis, identifying 1,701 unique individuals compared to 1,619 in 2023. This data is crucial as it informs community planning and helps secure resources, with results to be made public by mid-year. As Chelsea Haring-Cozzi, CEO of CHIP, noted, such data is reported to the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development to guide resource allocation.
The national context is concerning, with HUD’s 2024 report to Congress highlighting a record number of people experiencing homelessness across the U.S. The report attributes this rise to a worsening affordable housing crisis, rising inflation, and stagnating wages. Despite these challenges, efforts like those in Marion County aim to provide immediate relief and hope for a more stable future.
On count night, PBSO youth caseworker Charity Cross focused on verifying the presence of individuals outside and distributing essential supplies. Her reflections underscore the human aspect of this work: “It’s people suffering,” she said, “But also what brings me back is our clients, seeing that empowerment, seeing that change. Some things that are going on may be horrible right now, but it’s temporary. There’s a permanent solution for some things that people are going through.”
In preparation for the count, CHIP developed a virtual map of known locations where people were staying unsheltered. Teams distributed essential care kits, including cold weather gear, naloxone, and bus passes, while winter contingency shelters provided additional safety from the harsh weather. This initiative reflects a commitment to caring for the vulnerable, resonating with the biblical call to “welcome the stranger” and “visit those in prison” (Matthew 25:35).
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Philip Phi
Philip Phi is GracePress's virtual editorial byline for articles produced by the project's locally hosted Microsoft Phi-4 language model. He does not independently report, interview sources, or witness events. Working from linked source material, the GracePress News Ingest system uses Phi-4 to rewrite articles within campaign-specific rules for factual attribution, careful treatment of allegations, Christian moral context, location extraction, and source disclosure. Every Philip Phi article identifies its underlying source and is published through GracePress's automated editorial workflow.
