“Our motto is ‘My Name is Not Homeless.’ These are people with names, who are experiencing homelessness,” says Andrea De Mink, the Executive Director of The PourHouse, a non-profit organization that assists people in Indianapolis who are living on the street. The PourHouse emphasizes helping people to overcome barriers that lead to homelessness.
Officially formed in 2010, The PourHouse has built strong relationships with agencies that can help homeless individuals with legal problems, health care, counseling and addiction, and employment assistance. Specializing in the chronically homeless and severely mentally ill has many challenges, De Mink says. “We’ve worked with people who’ve lived on the street 24 years, 10 years.” Mostly men, they have faced difficulties getting jobs due to a lack of education, a criminal past, a lack of resources, limited transportation options, and mental health issues that cause them to “self-medicate” with alcohol or drugs.
De Mink has been working with the homeless population for 11 or 12 years, starting as conversations with homeless men on Monument Circle. “I got to know them. We would talk about the traffic, or current events, or whatever. It created this awesome relationship that you can’t build any other way.” She wanted to create a program that would help break down the barriers to get people help to reach their goals — not necessarily what others think they should do, but is geared to the client’s goals. The PourHouse also built a network of helpers that includes Midtown Health, Eskenazi Health, the Coalition for Homelessness, the City of Indianapolis, the Indianapolis Police Department, churches, individuals and many others.
Twice a week, De Mink and volunteers go to downtown parks for gatherings, where they provide a sack lunch and coffee, using it as an opportunity to get to know the men who live on the street. The gatherings attract about 250 people — less if the weather is cold. “Most of what we do is build relationships,” she notes. We get to know them, their names, who they are.” Throughout the week, they also visit smaller camps, listening to cares and concerns and offering solutions when possible. It takes time to get to know what they need, she said, and for them to define for themselves what their personal goals are. Unlike other agencies that work with homeless individuals, The PourHouse doesn’t dictate what a successful outcome will be for people — it might be as simple as getting a legal situation straightened out, or an addiction under control, or gainful employment that leads to safe housing. “Recently, one of my friends, who has been on the street for 10 years, got his own place. I can tell you I cried, I was so happy!”
However, there are perils to living on the street. Last winter, De Mink says, they had guys taken to the emergency room with frostbite, who lost feet and fingers to the bitter cold. “These guys live in constant fear. They suffer poor nutrition, and they can’t sleep soundly because they sleep with one eye open.” The PourHouse has a 24 hour, 7 days a week hotline that people can call if they are in trouble. They have started an innovative “dog tag” program for their clients which includes a toll-free number and an ID number. “First responders will find the tags on them and know to call us. We can give them information about who they are, their medical history, and how long we’ve been working with them.” Beyond being a lifesaver, the dog tags give the people they work with a stronger sense of community.
“These are not projects, they are people, and we are their peers,” De Mink says. The way funding for homeless programs is set up on the state and federal level, agencies that provide shelter and immediate needs to the homeless population get higher priority. Since they do not have a shelter or emphasize food distribution, The PourHouse survives only on private donations. An Irvington resident, De Mink says that the Irvington community has been hugely supportive of The PourHouse. “I’ve posted that I need something on the Irvington Neighbor Facebook page, and the neighbors drop it on my front porch that day. They have been amazing.”
On Sat,, Dec. 6 at 7 p.m., there will be a “Baby, It’s Cold Outside!” holiday party to benefit The PourHouse. The silent auction features items valued at more than $10,000, including an RCI vacation package and other hotel packages, dinner for eight prepared by Chef Carl Conway, and a live oil painting from local artist Rita Spalding. The evening will also feature food prepared by four local chefs, a cash bar, music, and dancing. There is also a VIP Hour ($60) with open bar and auction preview from 6 to 7 p.m. Tickets are $35 apiece or $60 for 2. The price at the door is $40. For tickets, visit pourhouse.brownpapertickets.com/ or advance tickets can be purchased at Dufour’s in Irvington, Bookmamas/Irvington Vinyl, Retulled, and Day Ja Voo. The party will be at the St. Bernadette Community Center, 4838 Fletcher Ave.
Donations to The PourHouse can be made via mail to PourHouse, Inc., 55 Monument Circle, Suite 1324, Indianapolis IN 46204 or online at www.pourhouse.org/invest.php. For donation drop-off information, e-mail info@pourhouse.org
