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From Connection to Action: LP Responds to a Community Member in Crisis
Thursday, May 21st, 2026
Last Thursday, during the Care Fair event in Bloomington, our team experienced one of the most sobering and meaningful encounters we have had since beginning our work in the community. Like many participants throughout the day, a woman named Donita approached our table looking for support and resources. As we began speaking with her, however, it quickly became clear that her circumstances were uniquely urgent. Struggling to remain standing for even short periods of time due to a recent leg injury, we offered her a chair and sat together as she shared her story. Through tears, Donita described the reality she and her fiancé, Rex, had been facing - spending their days at the HSHM Junction Community Center before returning to the streets each evening once it closed. She spoke candidly about estranged family relationships, difficult experiences with local shelters and waitlists, and the lingering grief following the passing of her husband just a few years ago.
As the conversation unfolded, it became impossible to ignore the weight of the situation before us. We initially considered transporting Donita to Decatur, where she said she had a tent and belongings stored that could help improve their living situation. Ultimately, however, we decided a more immediate solution was necessary. We purchased a new three-person tent and gathered donated pillows, blankets, sheets, and enough food supplies to help them through the weekend. Donita and Rex originally intended to establish shelter at the “Gravel Pits” encampment in Bloomington - an area our team has visited multiple times in the past and one we knew had recently come under increased enforcement and removal efforts by the city. Fortunately, Sgt. Nowers of the Bloomington Police Department was present at the event and provided invaluable guidance, recommending a more suitable short-term location and offering reassurance as we navigated this effort.
After the event concluded, Donita and I exchanged contact information, and I helped transport both her and her belongings to the HSHM Junction while we prepared the supplies for later that evening. Once everything was gathered, we drove Donita and Rex to the wooded area where they planned to stay and began searching for a suitable place to establish shelter. One moment from that evening remains particularly striking. As we drove through Bloomington, Rex quietly remarked that he “used to be over here,” referring to a side of town I have grown accustomed to passing through almost daily. The comment served as a stark reminder of how isolating life without stable housing or transportation can become. The realization that the two of them had likely not traveled more than a few miles from where they lived in a very long time was deeply eye-opening.
The process of setting up the site proved more difficult than expected. We searched for an area with adequate tree coverage, relatively flat terrain, and one close enough for Donita to reach despite her injury. Eventually, we found a small clearing and began clearing brush, constructing the tent, and organizing the supplies we had brought. Throughout the woods, other tents could be seen in the distance, and we encountered several other individuals living nearby - a sobering reminder that this struggle is far from isolated. At one point, two individuals approached us, including one man who was reportedly Rex’s son. Initially, tensions rose as concerns were voiced about Donita and Rex establishing shelter nearby. Thankfully, through communication and de-escalation, the situation resolved peacefully. Still, the encounter highlighted another difficult reality of homelessness: the complicated intersection between poverty, instability, trauma, and family relationships. Seeing these struggles span multiple generations was deeply affecting.
We left just before the rain began that evening, grateful that we had been able to provide some measure of comfort and stability during an incredibly difficult moment. This experience reinforced the value of community events like the Care Fair and the importance of collaboration between organizations, public servants, and community members willing to step forward when needs arise unexpectedly. While this level of individualized outreach is not something we are currently equipped to provide on a continual basis, the opportunity to do so in this instance offered profound perspective and will undoubtedly shape the way we approach our future efforts within the community.
