Let's be honest…read more There are certain non-profits and certain businesses that are simply 5-star organizations. Anything else is unacceptable. It's so true that if you see someone bash the organization, you immediately think to yourself "This is not someone I want to know." It's true. You know it's true. Keep Indianapolis Beautiful is such a non-profit. It's hard to describe everything Keep Indianapolis Beautiful does. Truthfully, I'm probably not even aware of everything Keep Indianapolis Beautiful (also known as KIB) does. I just know that when it comes to keeping Indianapolis a wonderful place to live, KIB seems to always be involved. I first became aware of KIB years ago when longtime friend David Forsell led the organization. If you haven't met David (and his wife Shannon), they are, in my estimation, one of "Indy's Couples." That's an official designation now, I made it up. Okay, back to KIB. KIB has programs in three areas: Clean Neighborhoods - Adopt-a-Block, Great Indy Clean-Up, Plogging, and Busy Roads/Waterways. Trees & Native Habitats - Project Greenspace, Habitat Restoration, and Community Forestry. Engaged Citizens - Urban Naturalists, Tree Tenders, Youth Tree Team, and KIB Ambassadors. It seems like whenever there's a community event, KIB is involved (I'm currently working alongside a KIB staff person jurying a film festival). It seems like if there's a community partnership to be had, somehow KIB is engaged with it. Their events are well-run, well-led, richly beneficial to our community, and remarkably empowering. Their office on Fletcher Avenue In 2009 became the first civic nonprofit in Indiana to have a building LEED Gold Certified by the US Green Building Council! KIB has wind turbines, a cistern to collect stormwater, rain gardens, a pervious pavement parking lot (which lets water filter through), and a sunny atrium filled with native plants. They also have a green roof and are dog friendly! In other words, KIB lives its values. As a non-profit, they have the highest possible ratings from both GuideStar and Charity Navigator. In short, Keep Indianapolis Beautiful is one of those non-profits I consider to be "Indy's Non-Profits." These are organizations that truly make Indy a fantastic place to live (and it is). I love KIB and I love everything they do.

I joined KIB last year during the height of the pandemic, when I needed a healthy outlet to channel…read moreall of the anxiety I was feeling. I would go for walks daily to calm my brain, but I couldn't help but notice litter on the ground. It kind of messed with the calm vibe I was trying to accomplish -- every disposable mask and tissue and empty water bottle I would see on the ground would make me more and more irate. So instead of getting mad about it, I started to bring a trash bag and litter picker with me on my walks. Suddenly, my walks began to feel calming again. Picking up litter gave my walks a purpose. It gave me a feeling of control during a time when so many things felt out of my control (COVID cases spiking, the crumbling of society, etc.) Plus, I felt good knowing that I was helping, in a small way, to make other people feel calm during their walks, too, by removing the litter so they didn't have to see it. Not too long after I started picking up litter on my own, I found out about KIB. I learned that they have an Adopt-a-Block program, where you can "adopt" a portion of your neighborhood and maintain it (pick up litter, plant trees, etc.) I volunteered to be a Block Captain for a portion of the Monon Trail. KIB gave me some free supplies to help me start out (a nifty KIB trash bucket, lots of trash bags, gloves, a trash picker and a t-shirt). I've been an Adopt-a-Block Captain for almost a year now. Since then, I've walked lots of miles and picked up dozens (hundreds?) of buckets of litter. I've made friends with people I see regularly who use the trail where I pick up trash. I've had people come up to me and ask me about KIB (because they see me carrying my KIB trash bucket), and I'm always happy to sing this organization's praises and encourage others to adopt a block in their neighborhood, too. And KIB makes it super easy to do so. They are very inclusive and just want people to get involved in making their communities better places to live and play. I tend to enjoy picking up litter the most when I'm by myself, because it's become a meditative practice for me. But, I've also joined several litter-collecting projects that KIB has organized. These are always very well-thought-out, and they target areas of Indy that are under-cared-for and have a lot of litter lying around. During these events, it's nice to be around other people who love Indy and are as invested in it as much as you are. KIB has lots of projects happening all year, which is great because there is always something to do. I love this organization so much, and it's become a part of me and my lifestyle now. So much so, that one time, when my kids saw a KIB sign when we were out and about, they pointed to it and said, "Hey mom, that's you! That's the thing you do."

If it's related to the arts in Lawrence, there's a pretty good chance that Arts for Lawrence has a…read morehand in it. Started as a non-profit in 2006, Arts for Lawrence is the largest non-profit arts organization in Lawrence and Indy's northeast quadrant. The organization serves as the steward for the historic Theater at the Fort and offers a remarkably diverse array of affordable arts programs at Theater at the Fort, Fort Ben Cultural Campus, and the Visual Arts Campus. VERY often, these activities are provided at no charge to the community. This was the case for this past weekend's Shakespeare at the Fort: A Midsummer Night's Dream directed by longtime Indy radio personality Matthew Socey. At one point, I was contemplating placing a memorial for children lost to violence in the Fort Ben area - It was Arts for Lawrence that responded and had some dialogue about the idea. Essentially, I've found the organization pretty amazingly responsive when it comes to exploring ideas for creatively improving the lives of Lawrence residents. The musical chairs at Fort Ben? Arts for Lawrence is behind this wonderful, family-friendly installation operating daily from 9am-10pm. (I do agree with some who've observed it would have been ideal to include at least one accessible swing). The Fort Ben Cultural Campus as launched in 2021 with the former Fort Harrison Communications Building moved to the campus and re-established as a Visual Arts Center with monthly exhibitions, a ceramics studio offering classes for all ages and abilities, and upstairs area offering additional classes. Programs include festivals, theater performances, outdoor concert series, art classes, art exhibitions, poetry readings, and more. Food trucks often appear at outdoor events. Being right by Lawrence's City Hall, this area seems to have become a central locale for many of the City's sponsored community activities. Arts for Lawrence also has a strong equity statement on their website indicating a desire to ensure that arts programming is accessible to all. The Visual Arts Center is now open from 6-9pm daily and during festivals. Additional features include the Sterrett Center, Marching Sidewalk, Lawrence's public art, the amphitheater, and an app offering AR/VR experiences. Arts for Lawrence only assumed stewardship of Theater at the Fort in 2016. They began a vigorous upgrading of the 1929 theater and while it's certainly not perfectly accessible (what 1929 building is?), it's dramatically improved and there's an attitude of access. As a city, Lawrence fairly recently established a commission on disability. It took me quite a while to realize that many of the activities I attend here in the Fort Ben area fall under the umbrella of Arts for Lawrence. I'd imagine it will only improve once the currently under construction Fort Ben branch of the Indianapolis Public Library is completed. There's so much to love here and Arts for Lawrence is behind much of it and they've become a guiding player in the growing Lawrence arts scene. With friendly people, great events, and opportunities for all, I'm definitely a fan of Arts for Lawrence.

I love coming to support local artists here! I have been a few times now for Crossroads Dance Indy…read moreperformances and I love it every time. The venue feels small, but still fits an audience of 100+. The staff are always so friendly and do a good job of guiding you where to go. The restrooms are always clean as well. The parking situation isn't super great, however. I usually park in the lot across the street, but there isn't a ton of room on show nights. You'd have to find street parking if it were a busy night. Plan extra time just in case!

The latinas welding guild is one of the best organizations to go to develop your skills and a great…read moreportal to bigger opportunities. My experience here has been nothing less than amazing. The instructors Josh, and Phil, as well as the TA Jomar, are incredible people and are very passionate about what they're doing. They will make sure that you are getting the best education and that you are set to succeed! The staff is dedicated to your growth and success and will go the extra mile to help you explore opportunities and land a job to put your skills to use. Everyone here is extremely helpful, extremely nice and eager to help you achieve your goals. If you're someone who's motivated and eager to work and excel, you will get what you put in. perhaps some people expect to have their hand held through the whole process and be spoon fed a Job on a silver platter, and that's not how anything works in life. you have you want it and you have to put your part in to make sure you succeed as well. Dwayne is an invaluable resource who will help you with your resume and help you land an interview, or look for potential opportunities, who he then will reach out to, but you have to be willing to put in the work too! I would definitely recommend this place to anyone looking to grow and level up their skills. I think what they're doing for the community, and for the culture is awesome and I hope more people take advantage of such an amazing opportunity. Love you guys, thanks!

This place is a scam!!!!! They claim to help people but only…read moredo enough to get grant money and then screw over everyone who goes through the program. Their curriculum is BS for anyone who has actually worked in the industry. The students are only learning 1 basic joint simply to get a certification that they barely really use once they go looking for jobs. The students leave with 0 support to find jobs and pretty much have a useless certification. Everyone is getting very basic certs and hardly any students can actually find jobs. Their entire mission statement is built on ethics, but they don't actually have any!!!! Not only is she a scam to the people in the program she fired an employee while undergoing CANCER treatment!! The founder, Consuelo Lockhart, DOES NOT care about anything except money in her pocket. You can reach out to any company theyve worked with (R.A.D. fabricaction, Wilhelm, Poynter,.. etc) and I guarantee each one will say the same thing. She burns bridges with everyone she comes across. Think twice about using them for ANYTHING. They can't finish a single project without it looking like shit. And if you're considering giving them grant money just KNOW your money is not going to a good place.

This is a social service agency for immigrants from Africa, I.E., people who have come here…read moredirectly from Africa. This non-profit has been around for at least 8 years (that I know of), but things still seem a bit disorganized. Their web site is not kept up-to-date. In the recent past, they have put on an annual African Festival but I think the last one was 2010. I've been to a couple of their festivals and thought they were great. Their services come under what I call "fuzzy" social service headings, they list such things as Arts and Culture, Youth Development, Community Integration, Advocacy and Special Services. From their web site, their programs/services include: Health care program enrollment for uninsured children and adults through Wishard Advantage and Hoosier Health-wise; HIV/STD prevention and education programs, testing, and counseling services; English as a Second Language (ESL) language laboratory and literacy project; Computer literacy tutoring and typing; Testing preparation for the GED; Language translation/interpretation and Bureau of Motor Vehicles assistance; Immigration assistance and legal referrals/advocacy; Summer youth program; Free tax preparation services; Women issues and empowerment; Community and continental links; and Mentoring and coaching services. Major Initiatives: African Health Initiative..."Solutions to Healthcare Challenges". Community Clinic (Part of the African Health Initiative). Publication of the Directory of Social Services for Africans in Central Indiana... "A Living Guide". African association partnerships. African business networking (c/o African Chamber of Commerce). Outpatient HIV medical care and HIV medical care management. Renovation and development of the African Center Community Center at 40th & Boulevard Place that will focus on youth, arts, and neighborhood outreach. African Community Soccer League (Including youth soccer program).

Watch Us Farm is a nonprofit organization that that provides vocational training and employment…read moreopportunities for adults with special needs. The program is based in Zionsville and offers training in their 7000 square foot greenhouse growing hydroponic lettuces and microgreens. In addition, participants may learn to weave and sew a variety of textiles including reusable kitchen towels in their Zionsville shop. Produce is sold to local restaurants and at local farm markets. Some of the produce is donated to food pantries. Today, I had the opportunity to purchase some of their arugula at the Zionsville Farmers Market. I love arugula and this arugula was fresh and tender with a great peppery flavor. I also eyed the handmade kitchen towels and will return next week to purchase a set. Prices are incredibly reasonable and the funds raised directly support the program. The staff is friendly and passionate about their work. The program has been operating since 2018 and will be moving this spring into expanded facilities. The program is accepts donations and seeks volunteers.

Helpings of Hope is a local non profit that works to eliminate hunger and food waste by…read morecommunity-driven projects that provide food and education. One of their projects includes an urban farm where they produce fresh and healthy produce. Some of the produce is sold at local farm markets to raise money for their programs. I ran into the staff selling produce and raising awareness at the Pike Farmers Market last Saturday. The produce was beautiful and looked delicious. Heirloom carrots were photo worthy. I purchased some herbs and multicolored Swiss chard. The prices were incredibly reasonable. The volunteer clerk was friendly and helpful. This is a good organization with a noble mission. I'll be returning to support.

We use a spot at Carter storage each summer to store our RV while we visit our kids - they love…read morejust down the road. It's $100 so it's reasonable. The staff communicate well- we text them a couple months in advance, and they're got a spot ready when we arrive. We like that it's gated and locked on the evenings and weekends too. We can come and go as we please during business hours so this makes it nice for prepping to pack.

This is an excellent facility. I came here to purchase some items from the Girl Scout store and…read moreended up taking a tour. The facility is updated and very clean. In addition to the store, which carries all your girl scout needs, they have meeting rooms, a game room, administrative offices and a lounge. They also have a very nice patio area out front and a decent sized parking lot. The store has all your Girl Scout needs from official uniform clothing, to badges, to patches, and some toys. I was greeted immediately when I came in. I told them what I was looking for and the woman working got all the pieces of the uniform together for me. They made it very easy. They all were very helpful and knowledgeable about the program. I really like this facility and hope that my daughter's troop will be able to incorporate this place into their program and maybe even go camping or earn some badges here. This place is well planned out and put together. Every scout should have the opportunity to go there at some point.

I came to Indiana excited to volunteer at this organization after years of working with another…read morechapter out of state. My initial email was met with confusion. I finally met with a director whom seemed uninterested in working with me. I continue to help out as I could. The chapter as a whole was not innovative or creative. They seemed happy to continue doing the same activities year after year. They actually hosted a cookie and beer event one year. I thought it was a good addition, but tons of people complained. It was beyond strange. People here say they want to do more, but back off when met with resistance. After two years of trying to help, I finally gave up and took my money elsewhere. This chapter is extremely unwelcoming to outsiders. The prefer volunteers with Indiana roots or children in the chapter. I had neither. Also, this place is located across the street from the Women's Correctional Facility. It seems like an odd location for a children's camp.