As the novel coronavirus outbreak continues to change lives across the state, an Indianapolis nonprofit is working to protect some of the city's most vulnerable residents.

Since 1987, the Damien Center has provided preventative, supportive and medical services to Hoosiers affected by HIV/AIDS, connecting many with additional social services they need to be successful.

As COVID-19 began to spread, leading to severe illness and sometimes death, the center began to think of how it could best protect HIV positive Hoosiers — especially those without stable housing.

With federal approval, the center has repurposed $60,000 awarded through the Housing Opportunities for Persons With AIDS Program to pay for hotel or motel rooms for dozens of individuals who are HIV positive and experiencing homelessness.

Since these patients are immunocompromised, the temporary housing solution offers them shelter away from crowds, decreasing their risk of exposure to the coronavirus, said Alan Witchey, Damien Center president and CEO.

The center has reached out to clients and others identified by area service providers as being eligible for the assistance and, as of Tuesday afternoon, 31 individuals had been placed in an area hotel or motel, free of charge, for 30 days.

"As immune-compromised individuals are highly more likely to get (the) coronavirus, and COVID-19 was such a contagious disease," Witchey said, "we worried that it would spread very quickly to our population."

Last week, the U.S. Department of Housing and Development released social distancing guidelines for shelters mandating 3 feet of space between beds — half of the distance recommended to the general public by the CDC.

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Beyond concerns of contracting the novel coronavirus, some may already be wary of shelters for fear of facing discrimination because of their LGBTQ identity or HIV status.

"People don't always feel safe," Witchey said, "and that is a factor in whether they will go to a shelter."

Each person connected with this temporary housing is also being connected with a host of other Damien services, including medical care, mental health counseling and nutrition assistance.

With federal guidance extending social distancing recommendations through the end of April, what happens after these individuals' 30-day stays is over remains uncertain.

In the long term, Witchey said he hopes each of these individuals will be connected with a permanent housing solution. For now, Witchey said he's hopeful additional funding may come from the COVID-19 stimulus package passed by legislators in Washington last week.

Eventually, the reallocation of the housing funding for these short-term stays could put a squeeze on the center's remaining HOPWA funds, he said. Although the center received more than $800,000 through the program this year, much of that has already been allocated for rental assistance programming.

As circumstances continue to change on a daily basis, the Damien Center will continue to work to meet clients' needs as they come.

"These times are so complicated," Witchey said. "Oftentimes we know what we need to do, we just don't know how we're going to sustain it and what the next step is. And so you almost have to go on faith that you're doing the right thing, and that you're going to figure out the next step when you get there."

How you can help

Financial contributions to support the Damien Center can be made online at https://bit.ly/2wRMlFM. In-kind donations of food or hygiene products can be dropped off at the center, 26 N. Arsenal Avenue, from 9 a.m. to 4.30 p.m., Monday through Friday.

For more information, visit the center's website at damien.org/.

Call IndyStar reporter Holly Hays at 317-444-6156. Follow her on Twitter: @hollyvhays.