Operation Care Kit seeks to fill needs of homeless as Christmas nears

INDIANAPOLIS (WISH) — When we give gifts for Christmas, a lot of times we give wants, not needs.

One Indianapolis group is focusing on the needs of those experiencing homelessness during the Christmas season.

People experiencing homelessness need food, shelter and — as we move into winter — warmth every day. That’s exactly what Operation Care Kit aims to give them.

Volunteers created two types of kits for two kinds of needs. One is a self-care kit filled with toiletries, hand warmers and cold-weather gear. The other is a food kit filled with things that do not need to be cooked, so it’s easy for whatever circumstance the person might be in.

The food kits also include a bus pass so the person can take shelter in a bus station or get transportation to somewhere they can get help. Satchuel Cole, who founded the program, says each need fulfilled is one step closer to getting someone housed and helping out the community as a whole.

“It matters because we want to help everyone,” Cole said. “If we help people that are experiencing homelessness get housed, it solves quite a few problems. Everybody is very concerned about crime rates in this city, and one of the main things that contribute to crime is homelessness and not having access to food. So if we can help both of those, it will help our city in so many ways. We’ve just got to care about people that are different than us.”

Each of the volunteers who filled up bags Saturday will also be handing them out to those in need over the next month.

If you’d like to help out or make a donation to help make the bags, Cole says you should follow the group’s Facebook page.