Joe Ferguson thought he had a good idea to help people sleeping outside this winter. He would enlist the help of friends and local musicians to put on a benefit concert of sorts for the homeless.
But then something unexpected occurred Dec. 5 amid the sets by jazz drummer Clint Breeze, punk group Hush Hush, Ferguson’s own band Boohoo Buckaroo and other performers at Duke’s Indy, a southside honky tonk joint.
“It went way better than I think any of us anticipated,” said Karsyn Mohler, a friend of Ferguson who recently helped start a group of local homelessness outreach workers.
More than $2,000 was raised, Mohler said. Plus, he has about two carloads of donations sitting in his garage. Outreach workers can stop by to get things for people as needed.
Concert attendees were encouraged to donate $5-$10. Better yet, they could go to an Amazon wish list and buy items that will help keep people warm during the coldest months of the year.
“It was just a ton of different types of people getting together for one common cause,” Ferguson said.
And now, rather than just looking back at the single event, organizers are looking ahead to hosting four more shows in 2025.
Why this winter could be even worse for people experiencing homelessness
The donation drive came at a crucial time, with temperatures now routinely dropping below freezing.
And while Indianapolis homeless shelters have a plan to get more people inside overnight this winter, gaps exist.
Wheeler Mission, which typically organizes the city’s winter contingency plan for the homeless, asked others to step up because the undertaking became too much to handle.
Families with children were left scrambling.
When shelter providers put out their plan for winter contingency — which started in November and goes through March — no additional overflow options for families existed beyond what family shelters already offer.
That has since changed, with a former eastside school building serving as an overflow site.
But Mohler said the need is still higher this winter than it’s typically been in the past, making efforts like the benefit show even more critical.
“We just decided this is one way we can start a direct impact,” he said.
The donations collected through the group of outreach workers, called Good Neighbors Indy, included tents, sleeping bags and thermal blankets. Those items could help save lives in the coming months.
More benefit shows coming
When organizers saw how impactful the benefit show was, the need to continue the effort became clear.
The plan is to host four shows — one each quarter — at Duke’s and continue capturing the passion that the first show brought.
“We want to get as many people as possible excited to help people who are sleeping outside,” Ferguson said.
The wish list items will change depending on the season. Sunscreen, for example, will become more important during the summer months.
But the idea is to continue finding a way to provide for people experiencing homelessness.
And if anyone wants to stomp their feet to a banjo along the way, that’s just a bonus.
Mirror Indy reporter Tyler Fenwick covers housing and labor. Contact him at 317-766-1406 or tyler.fenwick@mirrorindy.org. Follow him on X @ty_fenwick.
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