On Monday December 9th, 2013, Ian Stark, a 24-year-old experiencing homelessness, died from exposure to freezing temperatures in an apartment stairwell in Bloomington, Indiana. This happened in the midst of police evicting homeless camps, shelters turning people away due to fictionalized capacities and other impositions of scarcity. Our street outreach workers provide emergency intervention servic
es on the streets of Bloomington, during hours when the street population cannot access traditional services. In addition to relaying information about emergency resources (shelters, treatment centers, health care facilities, advocacy centers, and other critical care resources), we attempt to supply needed and requested items, which can include: blankets, socks, sleeping bags, camping gear, warm clothing, rain gear, food, hygiene and first aid supplies (bandages, medications, vitamins, and AIDS and Hepatitis-C prevention supplies). As part of our outreach work, we aim to educate and empower the members of our community. We do this by directly providing information on survival skills and harm reduction, along with a familiar, friendly face to talk with. We also do this by being advocates for the homeless and low income populations and by informing the general public about our group, its mission, and the needs that it meets in our community. In so doing, we hope to strengthen this community and eliminate the prejudice and discrimination faced by some of its most vulnerable members.
