Tynika Smith told the council Wednesday about an outreach effort that began simply seven years ago when she noticed people in need at a large encampment on the south side of Bloomington. "Seven years ago, it started little with one of the big, big encampments," Smith said. "I seen people standing there. I'm like, 'Hmm, maybe they can use this.' And once I did that, it just went from there."

What started as an informal effort has grown into a community-driven initiative. Smith involves her own children in the work to teach them empathy, and she collects donations from community members to distribute essential items to homeless individuals and encampments throughout Bloomington. She emphasized the fragility of people's circumstances, noting that "a lot of people are one incident away from being homeless. They're one accident away."

Smith highlighted the success of recent community events, including a Father's Day celebration held at a local park that served 76 people. She plans to continue organizing similar special occasions, including Mother's Day events, to provide dignity and recognition to underserved populations.

Looking ahead, Smith is taking steps to expand and formalize her work. "I am working on becoming a 501C3, that's in the works," she told the council, referring to the nonprofit status that would allow her to operate as an official charitable organization. This legal designation would enable her to accept tax-deductible donations and potentially access additional resources to grow her outreach efforts.