Indianapolis, Bloomington homeless missions to merge

INDIANAPOLIS (AP) - Two organizations providing addiction recovery programs and services to homeless people in central and southern Indiana are merging.

The merger taking effect Thursday will bring Bloomington-based Backstreet Missions under Wheeler Mission Ministries of Indianapolis.

Wheeler Mission Chief Development Officer Steve Kerr says the change is occurring as Backstreet Executive Director Linda Kelly prepares to retire. Kerr will lead the merged organization, which he says has already been approved by the boards of both organizations.

Kerr says the two organizations offer similar services. He says the merged organization will be streamlined and have single accounting, data processing and maintenance systems.

Wheeler has operated a long-term addiction recovery program for men since 1953 at Camp Hunt near Bloomington.