Your Story. Our Community.

I wasn’t sure if I’d like having a mentor or not, but I’m so glad that I went ahead and did it. My mentor has become one of my best friends, almost like a sister. We talk all the time, go on day trips and go shopping every week. One time we tried to go to a baseball game but ended up getting lost in a parking garage. We parked, but couldn’t find our way to the game! You might think that was frustrating, but we laughed it off and ended up having a great time anyway!
—Valerie, mentee with Trusted Mentors

I had English as my number one and theatre as number two going into college. At the last minute right before I mailed it away, I knew I wanted to do something different. So I scratched it out and flipped the two choices and sent it away. It still kind of blows my mind that I am here. When I go see a performance, and I think, ‘Wow I had a hand in that. I made that.’
–Rachelle, properties artisan at Indiana Repertory Theatre

The seniors are really looking for a hub for resources and fellowship and to get out and see what is going on in their community. Senior community is a big part of the redevelopment plan for this area, they’re on boards and staying active here so they take a lot of ownership and pride in the progress of their communities.
–Kayla, Senior Angels Programs Coordinator at Edna Martin Christian Center

Over the years the library has changed night and day. The physical structure of the library and the change with the world digitizing has made the library change. The library is always there wherever you go, in different cities. They’re the first step to life-long learning.
–Terence, patron at The Indianapolis Public Library

I started here as a volunteer in 2000 and the organization was founded in 1998, so everything was young and new. For me it has been a tremendously rewarding blessing. I’ve seen literally hundreds of students come through this program. We can’t function without our volunteers, financial donors and our food donors. If we had to replace any of them we wouldn’t be able to operate. CICF was the first major foundation to step in and say that “we believe in this mission and we want to support it in getting off the ground”. CICF has been with us since the beginning.
–Jennifer, CEO at Second Helpings

If there’s no funding for arts education, then kids that thrive in the arts lose one of their top motivators to attend school. Many districts with low engagement in the arts see higher levels of truancy. There are connections between the arts and higher grades and higher rates of attendance among students. It’s not just about creating the next great artists; it’s also about using the arts to transform students.
–Ernest, director of grant services and education partnerships at The Arts Council of Indianapolis