On October 26, at around 9:30 P.M., there was a catastrophic fire at HVAF of Indiana’s Manchester Apartments — located at 960 N. Pennsylvania Street in downtown Indianapolis. This facility serves as a transitional housing property for 48 homeless veterans.

After an investigation led by The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) and the Indianapolis Fire Department (IFD), it was determined that it was an accidental fire.

All 48 veterans have been accounted for and are being taken care of in hotel rooms around the city. We are coordinating with community partners to provide the appropriate support. Critical needs include permanent housing options, access to essential food, clothing, and hygiene items, cell phones, and transportation.

HVAF Headquarters did not sustain any damage and regular support services will proceed as scheduled, including the pantry services at the Donald W. Moreau Sr. Veterans Community Center. The pantry will be open on Tuesday and Thursday from 11:30 AM to 2:30 PM, ensuring that essential support continues without interruption. Additional pantry hours for the displaced veterans are also being offered throughout the week.

If you would like to support HVAF during this time, please donate here: https://www.hvafofindiana.org/donate-hvaf-fireassistancefund/

You can also purchase items on our Amazon Wish List that we will provide to the displaced veterans, which can be accessed here:
https://www.amazon.com/hz/wishlist/ls/3BPBZDBHV39T/ref=nav_wishlist_lists_2

For veterans struggling to return to self-sufficiency, Saturday night’s loss is unimaginable. We appreciate the support of our community as we work to rebuild and recover over the next two years.

MEDIA CONTACT INFORMATION:
Lauren Carpenter
Marketing & Communications Manager
317-418-2720
lvcarpenter@hvaf.org

ABOUT HVAF:
Helping Veterans And Families (HVAF) helps homeless veterans return to self-sufficiency and engages at-risk veterans and their families to prevent them from becoming homeless by providing supportive housing, case management, employment support, therapy, and basic needs including food, hygiene and clothing. In 2023, HVAF served 1,349 veterans and provided over 37,000 life-changing services.

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