INDIANAPOLIS — We hear a lot about protecting Indy's homeless population from the harsh winter conditions.
Now there's a new effort to help those without a home have a safe and healthier summer as well.
IU health and the Indianapolis Metropolitan Police Department provide winter readiness kits and now they're teaming up to prepare kits for the summer. It's called Operation Summer Ready.
Volunteers packed 500 kits Tuesday that include sunscreen, lip balm, socks, deodorant, shampoo and other essentials.
“These bags are amazing. It helps give the individuals who are out there experiencing homelessness, it makes them feel like they're loved and they're important rather than that they're just a nuisance to some people so it also helps as a building block for our unit. With these kits, we can use them to go and speak with them and let them know that we're here to help them and not to discourage them,” Sgt. Tabatha McLemore, IMPD Homeless Unit, said.
The bags will be given to first responders, such as police, firefighters and EMTs, to hand out when needed.
