My husband and I purchased our first (and current) home in 2008. It was a foreclosure and certainly looked daunting to any knowledgeable person we had come to look at it. That was our bliss. We weren’t knowledgeable, we were enthusiastic optimists who loved old homes. Did I mention this home was old? Our home is 1920s old. Upon receiving the keys to our new space, we walked into the foyer—with its cracks in the plaster, broken toilet in the nearby half bath and deafeningly em

The COVID Recovery Initiative (CRI) through NeighborLink Indianapolis Foundation, (NeighborLink), has been created for the purpose of increasing our capacity to not only address our current backlog of 50 waiting indoor home repair requests from 2020, but to also prepare for the additional requests that will quickly pour in as soon as we resume accepting indoor requests. NeighborLink’s mission is simple, to provide home repairs at no cost to homeowners in need who are seniors

Saturday, February 27, 2021 was a big day for us! We joined our board member, Phil Kirk, for our first Dessert & Dialogue! Phil, who has served on our board for two years now, brought together a collection of friends and coworkers for a friendly dialogue over some big topics. We provided the desserts and gladly leapt into the dialogue. The evening was kicked off with introductions and thoughts around the advance question, given with their dessert delivery and in the event inv

We began because Dave Withey, our executive director, had been helping his aging friends and family with small home repairs for a number of

NeighborLink Indianapolis' role in this exciting program is providing the opportunities for BY Plus students in training

It isn’t uncommon for us to hear the question, “why do home repair for free when that person should just move?” The question isn’t a negative one, per se, but one that speaks from more economic privilege than the inquisitor may realize. For many who do not experience poverty, it can seem like a foreign concept, especially when it is far too easy to keep tunnel vision for your own space and means. However, when we look at the 2019 U.S. Census Bureau survey, it indicates approx

This is a first for us at NeighborLink Indianapolis! Due to our size, previous 100% volunteer staff, and very much start-up style for many years, our organization had never put together an official Report. Sure, we filed our 990s and of course met all reporting needs to help our operations be transparent to our donors. We’d even been rated a top nonprofit by GreatNonProfits.com . We hadn’t had the ability to put together a good visual of our prior year’s progress. January of

Surveys show aging in place is the preference of most people, but the options for doing so vary greatly. A recent study shows that even those with middle-incomes will not have the resources to maintain their homes and access services needed to remain in them. Income inequalities persist throughout the life span, however, which make aging in place much more challenging for those with fewer resources. According to the 2016 report of Joint Center for Housing Studies of Harvar

“Home sweet home.” “Home is where the heart is.” Common sayings that one mentions without giving it a second thought. For many aging Americans however, the thought of not being able to live at home as they get older is a real possibility. Whether that is due to financial strain and lack of resources, or the condition and accessibility of their home not meeting their needs as they age, many elderly individuals find themselves forced out of their home and into assisted living

Whew! 2020 has been a tough year! Here we are though, we're in the final stretch of the year and can look back at what has been accomplished despite a global pandemic, masks as a new normal, social distancing, and stay at home orders. Quite frankly, we were a little worried about how this year would shape up when spring was in full force. Our clients are among the most vulnerable and at the same time, providing them home repairs to allow them safety in their own home was even

If you've been a donor, supporter, volunteer or just kept an eye on NeighborLink Indianapolis, you know we've never really been good about launching ahead with donations or asks. In fact, we've never really done a fundraising campaign. To that point though, we've never blazed forth in a year where we wore masks, kept six feet apart, or avoided offering a hug to a grateful and happy homeowner. It's a year for new things. We are excited to be launching a campaign to help kickst

Words can not fully describe how thankful we are for every volunteer who has braved mask wearing, physical distancing, and sweating through volunteer projects these last few months. For anyone who isn't familiar with NeighborLink Indianapolis, 95% of our work is done by volunteers. Seniors in Indianapolis who would face stiff fines and in some cases, risk losing their homes, are spared those incidents because of volunteers willing to give a few hours of their time to help. Th

A huge THANK YOU to those who have already joined and participated in one or more of our Volunteer Teams.

Before and after photos are so encouraging, aren’t they? Especially when they’re connected to a senior homeowner being cited by the Health Department. Unfamiliar with city citations? A senior homeowner is sent a letter informing them they need to correct a violation or be fined. In this home’s case, the fines were more than $2,000. As a senior below 150% of the poverty line, this was very scary! The senior was referred to us for assistance. Initially we had to delay help. She

At NeighborLink Indianapolis our typical volunteer age ranges in the 30-50+ area. However, we have had a fair few groups of high school students come and volunteer on a Saturday morning for a few hours. There is something so energizing about these teenage laborers; Whether it is their first time volunteering for a nonprofit organization or old-hat for them, there is a sense of recognition that they’re helping someone besides themselves for no reason other than they are physic

Introducing NeighborLink Indy Volunteer Teams ! In order to efficiently tackle the projects that have built up in these last several months of sheltering in place, we are building five Volunteer Teams for you to choose from. No experience is required. In fact, if you have interest in learning a particular skill or want to get more practice in an area of home repair, this will give you the opportunity to grow in that area while serving your community. Two of our teams (Painti

The NeighborLink Indianapolis Board of Directors met at the end of May and approved a plan to restart client service activities after the Co

Per Governor Holcomb’s decree that all non-essential activities and businesses must adhere to a Stay-At-Home order, NeighborLink Indianapolis has paused its group projects for the time being. As a non-profit providing critical trades services such as plumbers, electricians, HVAC and other “services that are necessary to maintaining the safety, sanitation and essential operation of residences,” we are still doing our best to provide those critical services to our seniors in ne

Looking for a great job that helps others? We’re hiring for a Volunteer Coordinator! It’s what it sounds like - recruiting, building relationships with, guiding, and engaging with volunteers for NeighborLink Indianapolis. This is SUCH an important role for us since we’re primarily volunteer run. The ideal candidate will have empathy for and understanding of the community we serve - seniors and individuals with disabilities coping with the effects of poverty. Responsibilities