Tanya and Romeo

While my family was attending GenCon in downtown Indy in early August of 2016, I lagged behind taking pictures when we were on our way to lunch and got lost.  That’s when I met Tanya.  She was offering to give directions to people for some change.  The problem was I had no idea where to go.  So I ended up talking to her, thinking I’ll just call my family with my cell phone and catch up with them later.

Tanya came from Kentucky, having left an abusive relationship behind.  She’s been sleeping on the couch of a friend, hoping to get a job and a place of her own.  Her new start in Indy didn’t go well, however, when her bag got stolen with her ID in it.  Without ID, she could not find a job.  Without money, she could not replace her ID.  And so began her life of homelessness.  She also suffers from depression and has not had the medication since she became homeless.  Being homeless, of course, only aggravates the depression, as anyone can imagine.

While I was talking to Tanya, “Romeo” came up to greet Tanya.  His real name is Joshua.  Joshua and Tanya became friends after meeting each other on the street and have been looking out for each other.  You can find them at the southwest corner of Maryland and Illinois.  If you’d like to help, they would appreciate a hand-up via a job where they can earn a living.  Oh yeah, Tanya would need to get her ID replaced first.