INDIANAPOLIS — According to the national alliance on mental illness, 64% of people living with a mental illness reported that their conditions worsened around the holidays. This is one reason that for 5 years Neidhammer Coffee on Indianapolis’s east side has held the coffee donuts and love event.
"It kind of was an outgrowth of just realizing there is a lot of people that are alone at Christmas and don't really have anybody or any place to go,” John Hobelman the general manager of Neidhhammer Coffee Company said. “We kind of pulled our own staff and found out we had several staff that were in similar situation. "
While the owners noticed there was a need for an event like theirs, providing a space for Christmas is something john Hobelman's family is a custom to.
"Reaching back to my family’s history and my grandmother we’ve always been like this,” Hobelman said. “I had an uncle that was in Vietnam. She would always look for service members that were away from family to welcome home. And Growing up we always had strangers in our house for thanksgiving."
While there were free coffee and donuts there was also live entertainment. Something Jim Larner has been providing for years.
"This gives people a place to go it gives them a sense of community and it just really provides that sort of networking feel instead of sitting at home alone, " Larner said.
While the event hasn’t gone unnoticed, people from across the country have shown their appreciation by sending in letters and thanking the company for holding the event. However, recognition isn’t what Hobelman is looking for. He hopes when people hear about the event Neidhammer coffee holds, it will inspire them to reach out to someone who might not be feeling the love on Christmas.
"Kindness is free and reaching out to someone that might be alone absolutely free and I always like to tell people call your mom she probably wants to hear from you,“ Hobleman said.
