INDIANAPOLIS — In honor of 125 years of service, Wheeler Mission plans to announce its vision for a multimillion-dollar expansion of the Center for Women & Children on Saturday, Oct. 20, during its Grand Celebration fundraising event at the JW Marriott. Wheeler plans to raise $12 million over the next three years to construct the new center.
The multi-story facility will be built on the northwest corner of East Michigan and North LaSalle streets, immediately next to Wheeler’s existing 10-story building.
Once completed, the Center for Women & Children will offer 164 beds, including 30 apartments for moms with kids, plus increased capacity for emergency shelter and long-term programs for women and children. Plans also include a dayroom, space for medical and mental health clinics, expanded dining areas, and a new secure indoor play space for families.
Wheeler’s current facility at 3208 E. Michigan St., offers 93 beds for homeless women and women with children. It also has a gymnasium that shelters 50 additional women and children during the cold winter months.
According to the National Coalition for the Homeless, families with children are one of the fastest growing segments of the homeless population. Eighty-five percent of homeless families are headed by single moms.
