Trunyna Highbaugh’s entire life turned to ashes two years ago after someone set her apartment on fire. She’s been homeless ever since, relying on family and friends for temporary shelter.
“I was living with my father, and the situation happened where he was gonna get custody of my nephew, and he put me out,” Highbaugh said. “So I’ve been through hell.”
Highbaugh has slept inside her friend’s garage for the past four months. During the day, she uses a grocery cart to carry her things, but that makes it difficult to get around the city.
“I’m always walking,” Highbaugh said. “Being homeless, you don’t have too much transportation, so you have to do it the best way you can.”
Highbaugh’s load became a little easier to bear after a trip to the Center Township Trustee’s Office. That’s where she received luggage through Faith in a Case on Wheels, a local initiative that provides suitcases to people experiencing homelessness.
Faith in a Case on Wheels
LaDonna Freeman, the township’s trustee, launched Faith in a Case on Wheels in December 2023. Freeman came up with the idea for the program when she was sitting in her car and saw someone struggling to hold their personal items.
“I remember like yesterday, they had a white trash bag and the bag busted,” Freeman said. “And they’re in the middle of the street trying to get all their belongings and the light turns green. You’ve got people trying to go, but this person is trying to get their belongings.”
Freeman said she and her staff have distributed at least 250 suitcases, backpacks and duffle bags over the past two years. The suitcases have a piece of paper taped on top of them, which includes information for Freeman’s office and a small mustard seed, a symbol of faith in some religions, including Christianity.
Inside the suitcases, residents will find daily essentials and winter weather supplies, such as socks, toilet paper and a flashlight, as well as a brochure from the trustee’s office.
Freeman said she initially went to libraries to distribute suitcases, but she wants to do more to reach people where they are by visiting homeless encampments or distributing suitcases at night.
In the meantime, a local community member works with Freeman to distribute suitcases on a regular basis. Octavia Snulligan, a downtown Indianapolis resident, sees a lot of people sleeping on the streets. So she contacted Freeman, who brings suitcases to Snulligan’s apartment so she can pass them out when she sees someone in need.
“Those are my neighbors,” Snulligan said.
Freeman and her staff drive a passenger van around Center Township each December so they can distribute suitcases to people in need. Freeman also keeps a few stowed away in her car. Otherwise, residents can pick one up at her office.
Other township resources
Community members have to live in Center Township to receive financial assistance, but Freeman’s office provides multiple resources that are available to anyone, including the suitcases.
Residents can also visit the center township’s food pantry or receive a bus pass. The township’s clothing closet allows people to select up to 15 donated pieces of clothing from Light of the World Christian Church, many of which still have tags on them, according to Freeman. The trustee’s office also partners with local organizations that have mobile showering units.
Freeman said the township plans to buy at least two of its own mobile showers next year as they prepare to expand their services.
“We have a lot and we want to build a house on it,” Freeman said. “Sometimes people come in on a Friday, at 4 o’clock, 5 o’clock, there’s nowhere for them to go. So when we get our house built, we’ll be able to put them there temporarily until we can get them in the shelter.”
Community members can receive resources at the Center Township Trustee’s Office from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. Monday through Friday or by appointment from 8 a.m. to noon on the last Saturday of the month. The facility is open until 7 p.m. on Tuesdays. The office is located at Julia M. Carson Government Center, 300 E. Fall Creek Parkway N. Drive.
RESOURCES
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Mirror Indy reporter Elizabeth Gabriel covers the south side of Marion County. Contact her at elizabeth.gabriel@mirrorindy.org. Follow her on Facebook at Elizabeth Gabriel, Southside Reporter and on X at @_elizabethgabs.
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