Thanks to the actions of a Putnam County youth and her family, homeless in Putnam and Marion counties will receive a special gift this holiday season.
For Nicole Barnes and her daughter, Ariyanah, they will spend their Christmas holiday distributing blankets to homeless and the event originated from a drive the two took through Indianapolis.
"I work as an administrative assistant downtown for Lucas Oil Stadium and Indiana Convention Center. There are a lot of homeless people around the area. One day a month or so ago, while driving through the area, my daughter, Ariyanah, who will be turning 11 in February, was able to see for herself," Barnes told The Putnam County Post.
During the trip Barnes and her daughter saw people lined up alongside the White River, as well as people out in the cold living in cars and tents, while others had nowhere to go.
"Seeing this and knowing she had a warm home to go to and they did not, really tugged at her heart. She said, "aww, that's sad mommy." And it is sad. It tugs at all of our hearts. When we got home later that evening, she came to me again feeling sad for people out in the cold with no guarantee of warmth," Barnes said.
It was then that Ariyanah had an idea.
"She said she wished that she could take them some blankets. She has a good heart, and it is my job to make sure she maintains it, so I said let's do it. I wasn't really sure how to go about it. However, Indiana Convention Center had just done a food drive so I contacted human resources and asked if I could do a blanket drive so that my family could spend our Christmas trying to provide warmth for those who are less fortunate. After that, I contacted my Pastor, Nathan Couch, who gave me the idea to use social media and provide a drop off location. My best friend of 20 years manages the Marathon by Putnam Inn. I contacted her and asked if she minded if I use the station as a public drop off location for the blankets. I made my post on Facebook and shared it across the Chatter Forums," Barnes said.
And through the efforts of Barnes and her daughter and others who have donated, homeless in both Putnam and Marion counties will receive a warm blanket.
"I don't know if I can even put into words how proud of her I am. It always warms your heart when you see these young children wanting to do so much and help in such big ways. I am so very proud to be able to say I am raising one of those kids. You always worry if you're doing well enough as a parent, and this is definitely a little reassurance for us that we are absolutely doing something right here. She is a sweet, loving, caring, emotional little girl and we are overjoyed that she has such a selfless heart," Barnes said of her daughter.
Anyone wishing to get involved and donate can contact Barnes at 765-719-0498 or drop off blankets at the Marathon Gas Station, 405 N Jackson St., Greencastle. Barnes said she will be getting daily notifications to pick up any blankets from the station.
"If people would like to participate, they can contact me and we can discuss and organize a meeting spot and plan," Barnes said.
