Trinity Haven provides safe, affirming housing for LGBTQ+ youth experiencing housing instability.
Every LGBTQ+ youth in Indiana has safe, welcoming, and affirming housing within a caring community.
Our Values
We believe in the inherent worth and dignity of every human, and we celebrate our differences.
We believe that Black lives matter and expect our board, staff, and volunteers to commit to confronting and dismantling racism in our institution.
We believe that all LGBTQ+ individuals are worthy and deserving of love, compassion, protection, and respect.
We believe that Trinity Haven will thrive only when board, staff, and volunteers hold themselves to the highest standards of integrity and accountability.
We believe in providing a safe, welcoming, affirming environment that
Encourages empathy and honesty among residents, staff, volunteers, and supporters.
Promotes kind interactions among all who engage in life and work at Trinity Haven.
Celebrates LGBTQ+ identities and encourages positive self-expression in the youth we serve.
Utilizes a strengths-based healing-centered approach to all interactions, infusing compassion and understanding into all that we do.
Provides safety, security, and stability.
Honors personal and professional boundaries.
Acknowledges that each resident is the expert in their own life and encourages them to make informed decisions and be accountable for their own education, employment, health, and wellness.
Creates a sense of pride for all who live and work at Trinity Haven.
When transitioning into adulthood, LGBTQ+ young people often need a safe space to land.
The goal of our Transitional Living Program is to intervene before young people experience chronic homelessness and to help them develop skills to thrive, creating community together and celebrating the fabulous humans they already are and are becoming!
In this transformational space, young people are encouraged to work toward crucial goals such as…
To learn more about participating in this program, please email info@trinityhavenindy.org.
*NOT a drop-in center, an emergency shelter or a homeless shelter*
Sharing a house with 9 other people isn’t for everyone. And not everyone needs up to two years to gain their independence.
Our Host Homes Program was created specifically for LGBTQ+ youth and young adults, but all young people may apply. Host homes are a short-term intervention for youth/young adults experiencing housing instability, who just need a little bit of time and support to move on into independent living.
All of the same resources in the Transitional Living Program are available to the young people in this program.
All hosts receive…
To learn more about participating in this program (as a host or a program participant), please email info@trinityhavenindy.org.
Nearly 70 percent of LGBTQ+ youth experiencing homelessness have been rejected by their family members because of their sexual orientation or gender identity.
Trinity Haven was founded to help meet the needs of LGBTQ+ youth at risk for homelessness.
LGBTQ+ youth who do not have a supporting family or stable living situation need special care and services to meet their needs. Trinity Haven will fill this need for the LGBTQ+ youth at risk for homelessness in Indianapolis.
National Statistics:
48% of LGBTQ+ youth out to their parents say that their families make them feel bad for being LGBTQ (Human Rights Campaign – HRC).
Trans youth are MORE THAN TWICE as likely to be taunted or mocked by family for their trans or non-binary identity than cisgender LGBQ youth (HRC).
75-85% of LGBTQ+ youth without a place to stay have been forced out by their parents or are fleeing rejection or mistreatment at home (True Colors).
LGBTQ youth and young adults are 120% more likely to experience homelessness than their heterosexual and cisgender peers (True Colors).
Local Statistics:
Every night, an estimated 48 youth who identify as lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, or questioning (LGBTQ+) are homeless right here in our city.
68% of these youth say that family rejection of their sexual orientation or gender identity is a major cause of their homelessness.
Many are terrified to ask for help from programs that are not specifically affirming and tailored to their needs.
FOUNDING PARTNER: TRINITY EPISCOPAL CHURCH
Trinity Episcopal Church, a diverse and welcoming parish, provided the combination of a gift and loan to purchase to the Trinity Haven property. They also contributed decades of expertise as an incubator of successful, sustainable non-profits. While Trinity Haven is not a faith-based organization, it was created by people of faith who felt strongly they had a moral obligation to repair the damage done to LGBTQ youth in the name of religion. We simply wouldn’t be here today without Trinity Episcopal Church.
If your organization is interested in partnering with Trinity Haven, please reach out here!
What exactly is Trinity Haven?
Trinity Haven is a non-profit organization that provides housing options and supportive services for LGBTQ+ young adults, including a long-term Transitional Living Program (TLP) which offers up to 24 months of housing, stabilization assistance, support services, independent living skills, case management, and care coordination for young adults in the state of Indiana; as well as a short-term Host Homes Program (HHP) which offers an average of 6 months of housing and intensive case management, and is limited to Indianapolis/Marion County. Our Youth Engagement Specialist assists with permanent housing placement for those exiting our TLP and HHP.
The goal of Trinity Haven is to intervene before young people experience chronic homelessness, and to help them pursue their education and develop the skills to thrive in the world independently.
How does the Host Homes Program work?
Host homes are a short-term intervention for youth and young adults experiencing homelessness or housing instability. The goal of host homes is to provide a safe, temporary, welcoming space for approximately six months where the young person has time to repair their relationships with family (when possible) or make decisions about other housing options with the support of a caring and supportive staff. The program is based on the national model created by Point Source Youth. You can find out more here: Host Homes | Youth Homelessness interventions — Point Source Youth.
How do I become a host?
We are recruiting hosts right now! Potential hosts will go through a volunteer orientation, an application and interview, and then training on how to serve as a host. The process also includes a background check and home visit. If you are interested in being a host, please email us here (levi@trinityhavenindy.org) and we’ll get the process started!
How do young people get matched with hosts?
Once we build a portfolio of available hosts, young adults in need of short-term housing will be able to choose who they want to meet, interview and potentially live with. It is a youth-led process, and our staff will support both youth and hosts to help determine the best fit for everyone.
Does Trinity Haven offer emergency shelter? Drop-in services?
No. Trinity Haven will provide short- and long-term housing options, but we are not an emergency shelter or a drop-in center. All housing placements will be done by appointment and require an interview process.
Why is Trinity Haven needed?
What we know:
40% of youth experiencing homelessness are LGBTQ+ (source: HRC).
50% of LGBTQ+ youth who come out to their families receive a negative reaction; 25% are asked to leave their homes (source: True Colors Fund).
75-85% of LGBTQ+ youth without a place to stay have been forced out by their parents or are fleeing rejection or mistreatment at home. (source: True Colors Fund).
On January 24, 2018, the Coalition for Homelessness Intervention and Prevention (CHIP), conducted its point-in-time count. On that day alone—a day when temperatures fell below freezing—342 young people under the age of 24 were homeless in Indianapolis. It’s estimated that 136 of these young people (40 percent) would identify as LGBTQ. This number does not include youth who are couch surfing.
Who runs the house?
The residents. They engage in problem-solving, conflict resolution, communal and independent chores, and work together to keep the energy flowing. The Director of Programs, the Youth Engagement Specialist and the Community Building Specialist work directly with the residents. We also have part time, hourly PRN (as needed) staff to offer additional support when needed. The Executive Director also works out of the house, and they are involved in several elements of the program as well.
How long can a young person live at the home?
Our goal is to help residents achieve independence. We can provide housing for young people for up to 24 months in the Transitional Living Program.
What kind of programming will be used?
Trinity Haven’s evidence-based programming incorporates several different templates, including:
The Transitional Living Program (TLP) as defined by the Family and Youth Services Bureau (Transitional Living Program Fact Sheet | The Administration for Children and Families (hhs.gov)). TLPs are highly effective, with 88% of graduates moving on to successful independent living.
The 3/40 Blueprint (3/40 Blueprint Project: Reducing LGBTQ Youth Homelessness (340blueprintproject.com)), a compendium of research-based best practices for homes serving LGBTQ youth.
In addition, we will integrate practices gleaned from similar successful projects in other cities as well as other homes for adolescents in Indianapolis.
What is the role of Trinity Episcopal Church?
Trinity Episcopal Church, an affirming and welcoming parish, served as the incubator for Trinity Haven until we received our own 501(c)3 status on November 14, 2018. Trinity Episcopal Church is an experienced incubator of community services and non-profit organizations. Any young person who wishes to attend Trinity Episcopal Church’s services will be warmly welcomed. However, there are no religious requirements for residents of Trinity Haven.
How will Trinity Haven help ensure safety for the guests, staff, volunteers, and neighbors of the facility?
The property is monitored with security cameras and an alarm system.
Young people in the program are committed to an environment that is free of drugs, tobacco, and alcohol.
Trinity Haven has house rules that are based on best practices of similar residential facilities, and they are co-created with the residents.
The house is in the pleasant residential neighborhood of Mapleton-Fall Creek and within easy walking distance of the IndyGo Red Line.
Will neighbors see youth hanging out around the house all day?
Maybe—it is their home. However, Trinity Haven residents will spend the weekdays in the same way most young people do—at school or, in some circumstances, at work. They will be engaged in after-school and weekend activities, including tutoring and various programming.
What happens if a participant breaks the house rules?
Policies draw on evidence-based best practices of successful homes. The consequences will vary according to the rule that is broken. The most serious consequences include probation and expulsion from the program.
What is the long-term vision for Trinity Haven?
Our vision is that every LGBTQ+ young person in Indiana has safe, welcoming, and affirming housing within a caring community.
Who does/is TH serving?
Trinity Haven has always and will continue to provide safe, welcoming, affirming housing for LGBTQ+ youth/young adults (YYA) experiencing housing instability.
Why did you change your model?
We didn’t. We shifted the age range to serve a larger population based on a need presented by data.
We have not housed anyone under 18 since we opened. Any minor who has applied, when invited into the process of speaking with their parents and DCS to obtain permission/approval, has declined, stating they would rather wait until they turn 18 than face that.
Between 1/1/22 – 12/31/23, 23 young people ages 22-24 have contacted us wanting to apply to the TLP. We have had to tell them no and refer them to YouthLink and the larger YYA housing pool, where it can take months to get pulled for housing options.
For youth under 18, will you still be able to serve them?
Yes, primarily through support and referrals to other housing programs specifically for minors (DCS licensed facilities, Stopover, VOICES, and 91 Place). We could potentially house a 17-year-old in a host home, if they turn 18 within the 6-months they are placed in the program, so that they can sign a lease when they exit the program.
How does this impact those you are serving or will serve?
It doesn’t impact anyone currently in the program and the need for this older age group is significant.
Are there other organizations that serve youth/young adults experiencing housing instability in Indiana?
Yes, in Indianapolis, the list includes the following:
Adult & Child (short-term rent assistance to YYA 18-24)
https://adultandchild.org
Damien Center (short-term rent assistance to YYA 18-24)
https://damien.org/services/housing
Project Prism, a partnership between Indiana Youth Group and HIP (offers short-term rent assistance to YYA 18-24)
https://www.indianayouthgroup.org/projectprism
Pando (non-time limited housing and support to YYA 18-24)
https://www.lutheranfamily.org/what-we-do/community-based-programs/pando-aspen-grove-of-community-heights.html
Stopover (transitional housing to rapid rehousing, which is short-term rent assistance for YYA age 18-24; and transitional housing for YYA
ages 16-18)
https://stopoverinc.org/transitional-living-rapid-rehousing-program/
91 Place (transitional housing for YYA ages 16-24, split between the homes which have specific age ranges, one for minors, the other two for those over 18)
https://91place.org/housing/
VOICES Corps (The Blossom House (Emergency Shelter Care) for youth ages 14-17 and Jake’s Place (Transitional Living Units) for young adults ages 18-22) provides housing for system-impacted and unhoused youth in Marion County.
https://voicescorp.org
Thank you for supporting Trinity Haven! If you have additional questions, please contact us here.
PRN Resident Assistant
PRN Resident Assistant
April Angermeier, chair (she/they)
Community Solutions
Matthew Holley, vice-chair (he/him)
IU School of Medicine
Indiana’s Own Dana Black, secretary (she/he/they)
ActBlue
Caroline Vahrenkamp, treasurer (she/her)
Filene Research Institute
Leigh Ann Hirschman, founding chair (she/her)
American Pianists Association
The Rev’d Jeff Bower (he/him)
St. Paul’s Episcopal Church
Jeff Brinkmann (he/him)
Supportive Insurance Services
Fletcher Elliot (they/he)
McCoy
Roxy Lawrence (she/her)
Black Onyx Management
Karla López-Owens (she/her)
Marion County Prosecutors Office
Brendan O’Sullivan-Hale (he/him)
The Episcopal Diocese of Indianapolis
Tayon R. Swafford (he/him)
Belmont University, University of Indianapolis, and Brown Mackie College
Joshua A. Thompson (he/him)
Music Sociologist
Chris Williams (he/him)
American Pianists Association
The Rev’d Julia Whitworth, ex-officio (she/her)
Trinity Episcopal Church
Copyright 2023, Trinity Haven
