Mike Wolanin | The Republic An exterior view of the Villas Apartments in Columbus, Ind., Monday, April 29, 2024.
Janae Garner-Kelley hardly can imagine the painful feeling. But she can imagine that an outreach of love can ease the hurt.
Garner-Kelley is among a handful of volunteer Health Equity Ambassadors with the Mental Health Matters initiative hosting a July 4th party today from 11:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m., complete with homemade food and games for the remaining 75 to 80 residents of the soon-to-close The Villas senior apartments, 4101 Waycross Drive in Columbus.
“We care about these residents,” Garner-Kelley said. “They’ve been dealt a bad hand, and we want to make sure they still feel loved and like an important part of this community.”
The Villas will close shortly after April 2025, when property owner BHI Senior Living’s contract with the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development that subsidizes rent for the residents of the 99-unit complex is set to expire.
Garner-Kelley figures the way to residents’ heart is through their stomach — at least partly.
Toward that end, local restaurant Homeboyz Chicken and Fish will provide baked spaghetti and Garner-Kelley, who is coordinating the event, is preparing Cajun chicken pasta for them.
Garner-Kelley hopes to see maybe half of the residents today at the informal get-together. The ambassadors have been visiting Villas residents weekly for several weeks, and residents have expressed appreciation for such concern.
Others who have sprung into action include city officials and nonprofit leaders such as Donna Taylor, executive director of the local Human Services Inc. She plans to be on hand today to accept donations from people to help residents with relocation and related expenses, such as application fees. Also, Centerstone is visiting to work alongside residents on mental health.
Many of the residents are older or disabled.
Cheryl Buffo, Mental Health Matters’ community programs lead, lauded the ambassadors’ outreach to the residents “to bring them some joy during the holiday,” as she put it.
Garner-Kelly has rounded up games for volunteers and the residents to play, ranging from Uno to chess to checkers.
“I can’t imagine having maybe six months to almost a year to leave a place when you probably thought you’d stay there the rest of your life,” she said. “And they don’t really have a lot of options here in Columbus.
“So we’re really just trying to keep their spirits up, and make sure that they truly feel supported. We’re doing our best.”
