Supporting

Homelessness and housing instability, food insecurity, and poverty are impacting Marion County students at an alarming rate. Nearly 25% of the 19,000 unhoused students across Indiana are enrolled in Marion County. Data demonstrates at least 40% of Marion County households cannot cover costs of living and 23.9% of Children in Marion County face food insecurity.

This December, Brightlane Learning volunteers, partners, and community members gathered for a discussion focused on supporting students beyond the school day during a time when more students and families are demonstrating need. This discussion was part of Brightlane’s Sparking Conversations series, sponsored by Katz, Sapper & Miller, and was hosted by Brightlane program partner, Moorhead Community Resource Center.

Panelists included Rijenna Murray, Family Program Coordinator at Moorhead Community Resource Center; Charity Henry, Family Resource Center Coordinator with Indianapolis Public Schools; Yvonne Cannon-Hollins, Wellness Specialist with Indianapolis Public Schools; Teia Sherrell, Children’s Services Coordinator at Coburn Place; and Kayla Stansbery, Education Support Coordinator with Brightlane Learning. Kelly Coker, Brightlane’s CEO moderated this important conversation.

 

Key Takeaways 

“The bottom line is that we are in the mindset of families being successful. Whether that’s a student at school or a student and family in our community, we want to see them thrive and succeed.” – Rijenna Murray, Family Program Coordinator at Moorhead Community Resource Center.

Family Stability and Student Success are Intertwined

  • Children’s programming at Coburn Place Safe Haven is critical to family success. Children are engaged with programming like after care and camps to support parents and caregivers who are working, doing case management work, or gaining new skills through financial classes or job training. However, the vast majority of families experiencing homelessness or housing instability do not reside in shelters. They are doubled up with family and friends, living in motels or other places not meant for habitation and lack the critical supports provided in family shelters.
  • 12,000 students attend Warren Township and 30,000 are enrolled in Indianapolis Public Schools. The services offered at Moorhead Community Resource Center and the IPS Family Resource Center are designed to meet the diverse needs of the students and families in these districts, not just those impacted by homelessness or housing insecurity.
  • The supports schools provide outside the school day are expansive. Youth Development, Wellness programs, Vision Care, Mental Health Support, Medical Services, Housing and Utility Support, Food and Clothing Pantry Services, and Family Support Services are all critical pieces of whole family support.

Building Relationships is Critical

  • Families in need of food, transportation, or even housing support may be reluctant to share challenges they are experiencing. Listening without judgement and approaching situations by asking, “How can we help?” is important to valuing the voice of parents and caretakers.
  • Being in the same space with families is critical to building supportive relationships. Social workers, educators, and youth workers are often the eyes and ears that can help fill gaps and share resources even when families may be reluctant to ask for help.
  • Resource centers supporting Warren Township and IPS are designed to be inviting for all families. Each have spaces for parents and caretakers to spend time while their children are engaged in programming, which allows them time to study or work towards goals supporting their families stability.

“I’ve been with the district 28 years. I’ve seen money come. I’ve seen money go. And I’m still here. Needs have been there, and we’ve always found a way.” – Yvonne Cannon-Hollins, Wellness Specialist with Indianapolis Public Schools

Community Partnerships are Essential

  • Schools and community organizations that are tasked with meeting the needs of students and families are navigating multifaceted barriers that shift each day. Our panelists estimated that together 150 invested community partners help them accomplish their direct work with additional community partnerships supporting Warren Township, Indianapolis Public Schools, and Coburn Place as a whole.
  • Members of the community can help fill resource gaps that exist by asking their local schools and community partners what they need and then helping fill in the gaps.
  • You can connect with the partners who contributed to this panel to see what resource gaps they need help filling.

“Our conversation made one thing unmistakably clear: no single school, agency, or program can meet the needs of students and families on its own. When community partners work side by side—sharing information, responding without judgment, and centering the whole family—we create stability that directly supports student success,” concluded Brightlane Learning CEO, Kelly Coker. “Whether it’s food, transportation, mental health care, tutoring, or simply a safe space after school, these wraparound resources fill critical gaps that families cannot bridge alone. Collaboration isn’t just helpful—it’s essential.”

Make plans to learn from community experts at our upcoming Sparking Conversations. RSVP for the following conversations today.

Family Homelessness – Overcoming Obstacles
February 11, 2026 from 9-10:30am at Katz, Sapper & Miller

Sustained Student Support – Expanding Pipelines
May 13, 2026 from 9-10:30am at Arsenal Tech High School