opinion

Hackney: We're all scared. But coronavirus presents a catastrophic threat to Indy's poor.

Carla Garcia was holding back tears. I could hear her voice quivering with the tone of despair. She’s frightened. The thought of being unable to provide for her children — a roof over their heads, basic necessities, food — weighs heavy.

Within the last two weeks, Garcia and her husband, Diego, have both lost their jobs. She was employed at a Downtown Subway. He worked for a company that replasters pools. As COVID-19 cases began creeping into Indiana and the rest of the nation, its existence has crippled some of our most vulnerable.

I’m fearful we aren’t thinking enough about them. Instead, we’re griping about crowded grocery stores and our delayed Amazon Prime and Shipt deliveries.

Yes, it’s early in the coronavirus crisis, but families are already struggling to pay bills because of layoffs and loss of hours. There’s no nest egg, no emergency savings account, no income cushion, no 401K. These people, most employed in the fast food and service industries, live paycheck-to-paycheck. They were existing in a tenuous state even before coronavirus.

“To be honest, it’s scary just not knowing what is going to happen and how this will all play out,” Garcia, 31, told me. “It started to really hit me. I think I broke down emotionally. I’ve even started to feel physical pain — I believe that it is caused by the stress because it is constant. I just don’t want to break down in front of the kids.”

The coronavirus crisis has instilled fear in all of us — there's been unimaginable inconvenience and uncertainty — but for already vulnerable families it is devastating. Potential sickness aside, the socioeconomic divide could be the difference between life and death.

Thankfully Garcia has a lifeline. She lives on the city's near eastside, where the Shepherd Community Center is serving around 500 families who live in deep poverty. The center has been around since 1985, catering to those in the neighborhood who are surrounded by food insecurity, violence and crime, abuse and addiction. The center has an extensive financial support network, including the philanthropic arms of Eli Lilly and Co. and the Indianapolis Pacers and Colts.

Shepherd is providing income assistance and drive-thru/walk-thru sack breakfasts and lunches from 8:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. for children and families. The demand is so high that they will begin offering dinner options this week. The center is working with Gleaners Food Bank to get more food into the funnel — particularly produce, which is running low — and soliciting help from grocery providers.

Andrew Green, Shepherd Community Center assistant executive director, said the center entered emergency mode when it became clear that all Marion County schools were going to be shuttered. Their intervention is three-pronged: ensuring access to food; offering assistance in e-learning to keep students on track educationally; and increasing the social services support needed in times of hardship.

"You’re talking about lots of families who are living, in a lot of cases, paycheck-to-paycheck or worse," Green told me. "When you’re talking about a lack of stability already, something this major is a big concern for our families."

Challenges abound for families

Just before schools were ordered closed, through grant agencies and support from some of the largest churches in Indianapolis, the center was able to secure tablets and Chromebooks for all 120 students who attend the school affiliated with the center. Teachers offered a quick e-learning orientation for parents, who were also sent sent videos and texts with instructions.

One challenge quickly became apparent — a number of families had no internet service. Luckily, Spectrum is offering two months of free broadband and wifi access, including installation, to households with children learning at home.

Green said with so much uncertainty, it's crucial to offer kids some structure and keep them focused on learning. Teachers also provided hard-copy worksheets for some of the younger students, and they are creating learning packets that will include flashcards.

Garcia said she allows her kids to sleep in a bit; she now wakes them up around 7:30 or 8 a.m. Isaiah, 14; Isabella, 9; Ilaenna, 5; and Joel, 2 get dressed while she clears the dining room table for them to work (well, not the toddler). Still, the two girls cry because they miss the classroom.

"My kids have never been the ones to not go to school," she said.

Shepherd gave each kid with a big box of food, including many non-perishables. The Garcias did not own a microwave so the center provided one.

"That is a big blessing," Garcia said. "The kids are at home now and are eating frequently, so it's helpful to have something for them readily available."

While juggling e-learning, Garcia is also trying to find a new place to live. The timing could not be worse. Her Los Angeles-based landlord called last Sunday to inform her that he was moving back to Indianapolis and intended to live in his house. Their lease expires April 30, and he wants them out.

The family must remain in one of the two ZIP codes serviced by Shepherd — 46201 and 46203 — because she doesn't want to disrupt their schooling. And with no family here, the Garcias need the support of Shepherd. She's reached out to a few landlords with homes for rent, but no one is calling her back. She thinks coronavirus has stalled that industry, too.

'I thought we would be able to breathe'

The family moved to Indianapolis from Houston four years ago, when it became too expensive to live here. Diego Garcia, 31, was wooed by the pool-plastering industry that was just starting to crop up, so he transferred jobs. He's laid off during the the winter months, and the family is reliant on Carla Garcia's Subway salary, about $500 every two weeks.

"I make half of what he makes," Garcia said. "It’s already been a few rough months for us. He had just started working before this started happening. He got to work for a week and a half. I was so relieved when my husband went back to work. Last year, he was out of work for four whole months. This year, it was only two and a half months. I thought we would be able to breathe for a minute."

The Garcias pay $850 per month in rent. Utilities and other bills average $400 per month. Imagine the burden of moving expenses and a security deposit that's likely first and last month's rent — all why being out of work.

The day we talked, Garcia said she was feeling so down she planned to call a Shepherd volunteer, Miss Emily, just to talk. Her voice quivered again. She thanked me for listening to her worries, for caring.

As COVID-19 numbers rise, so will the risk of suicide, child abuse, alcohol and drug use, depression and domestic violence. Green said Shepherd volunteers and employees are calling families now daily to check in on how they are coping emotionally.

"What has struck me is that we’ve heard from families who are saying that they are OK right now, but things are not looking good as this continues," Green said. "The families are looking ahead and having great anxiety because they know if this extends out much further, they're going to need more help from a food perspective and a bill-paying perspective."

My heart aches for Carla Garcia and those families or individuals who don’t have any support. Low-income families are especially suffering.

So as we binge Netflix and drink wine while hunkered down at home, let's not forget about the plight of others near us.

To donate to Shepherd Community Center, visit: https://www.shepherdcommunity.org/

An Amazon wish list also contains items needed in response to the COVID-19 crisis.

Email IndyStar columnist Suzette Hackney at suzette.hackney@indystar.com. Friend her on Facebook at Suzette Hackney and follow her on Twitter: @suzyscribe.