Mary McClure recently turned 84. Years ago, she worked as a cook at the Holy Family Shelter on South Meridian. In a different role at the Indiana Women’s Prison, she supervised inmates doing the cooking. Mary still loves to cook. These days, however, she pursues this passion at home, and that suits her just fine. Mary has owned her home for twenty years, and she is content staying put. Unfortunately, home repairs have made that a challenge. A call to Indiana 2-1-1 introduced

As the saying goes, “when it rains, it pours.” During some recent precipitation, the rain was running from the ceiling into Ann's living room. She had to periodically empty a thirty-three gallon can to combat the onslaught of water. It was definitely not a recipe for a good night's sleep! Today Ann can sleep peacefully through the night, regardless of the weather. NeighborLink Indianapolis recently completed installation of a new roof on her home. This was made possible thro

Sometimes big challenges can be overcome with a simple solution. Betty found that out recently, thanks to NeighborLink Indianapolis. Betty, age 80, is a homeowner of 55 years. Despite knee problems and arthritis in her hands, she gets around fairly well and lives independently. However, getting in and out of her vintage clawfoot bathtub was becoming difficult. The danger of falling was very real. Betty explored the option of removing and replacing her tub with a walk-in.

They are a vibrant couple. Joe and Lil are aging, but they act forever young. They have no intention of leaving their home of 52 years. It is at the heart of their identity as a couple. Their modest two-story home sits behind a fence bordered by a hedgerow of Rose of Sharon. Lil notes, with pride, that her auntie gave her the flower 45 years ago. A ring of hostas surrounds their porch. A huge canna lily is off to one side. Recently, their flat roof has been causing problems,

At 89 years young, Dillie P. says that she takes each day as it comes. She has lived in her home for 24 years and intends to stay there. As she strives to maintain her independence, she has benefited from assistance from NeighborLink Indianapolis on various projects, including the installation of a new railing on her steps, cleanup of her yard, HVAC replacement, and other accessibility projects. Dillie worked as a caregiver for more than 30 years until retiring in 2019. Unfor

Can you imagine living in the same home for more than 50 years? Ms. Maime is 90 years old and has called the same house home for the last 56 years. She can't imagine being relocated anywhere. To go out from this world and into the next from the comfort of her familiar bedroom surrounded by the community she has known and loved for more than half a century is a perfect example of why it's so important to support our neighbors in need with aging in place. A ging in place is the

We love it when a community comes together to support a long-time neighbor! Eastern Star Church's Care Committee paired up with the Arlington Woods Neighborhood Association to serve Mr. Willie Parker. Mr. Parker, originally from Macon, GA has called Indianapolis home for the last 25 years. His home is the home of his fondest memories of watching his children grow up. It has served as his safe space where he finds peace. His favorite thing about his neighborhood are the abunda

Leonard Banks has the most amazing stories. He has recorded music with John Mellenkamp (who he says is a very nice guy), stumbled upon technological marvels in unexpected places (I’m sworn to secrecy on this one), and has worked as a contractor here in Indy for over 30 years. Leonard has many remarkable stories, but one of the most remarkable is of the first time he saw his house. He grew up in the neighborhood he lives in now and remembers the house being built. “I rode by o

On the surface what NeighborLink Indianapolis does for homeowners is pretty simple. We provide home repairs for individuals who financially or physically can not complete them. This can look like a replaced set of outdoor steps with a handrail or cleaned up and repaired gutters around their home. It’s a nice visual and has a clear use for the homeowner. But what of the bigger picture, the bigger impact. Let me share a story of a homeowner we recently helped. Deloris has lived

Fifty years in a neighborhood is a pretty substantial amount of time. For Ms. Wanda Ward, also known as “Grandma” it’s been her home, her community, and the hub of her family for decades. Though Grandma has oodles of grandkids, she’s known throughout the neighborhood by that moniker. “I helped rear almost all the children in our neighborhood. They would come to my house and play while their families were at work, explained Ms. Ward. “Everybody just started calling me Grandma.

Many of our homeowners have had inspiring stories of buying their homes or inheriting their homes and it being a huge part of their family and lives. Not so much for Mr. Jodi Davis—Jodi stumbled into homeownership after his mom owned the home. Initially it was more of a heavy weight, especially after a life of travel and plenty of adventure. But, after thirty some-odd years of being at this house, it is officially home. Home means a space where privacy, security and safety ar

In September a local church, Eastern Star Church and their Care Committee, and the Arlington Woods Neighborhood Association came together to help an elderly neighbor, Mr. Willie Parker. Originally from Macon, Georgia, Mr. Parker has lived in his Indianapolis home for the last 25 years. Built in 1946, the home does show its age and well-worn life. It’s this home that has seen his children grow up. It is this home that serves as Mr. Parker’s safe space where he can feel at peac

Tom Smith and his wife Kim have lived happily for 35 years in a sturdy older home built around 1915 in the neighborhood where Tom grew up. In fact, his childhood home where he moved as a five-year-old, is just across the street. Their present home had been owned by Tom’s father as a rental property, before the Smiths decided to purchase it and raise their own children there. Their neighborhood, Bean Creek just east of Garfield Park, is one with longtime family connections. T

I once was told by a long-ago retiree that “no one cares what I did for so many years. I’m ‘just’ retired.” I can’t help but think of that statement each time I speak with a homeowner we’re helping. It struck me again when I had the opportunity to chat with Mr. Jerry Bennett while his home was being painted by a group of volunteers from M.D. Wise. “Who am I?” Jerry contemplated my typically simple introductory question, meant to pull out an interviewees name and perhaps a lit

We’re all familiar with the African proverb, “it takes a village to raise a child.” In Ms. Cecile Treece’s case, it took a little pocket of neighbors in the 46218 area. “I could have afforded to move to a ‘better neighborhood’ but nothing was wrong with mine. I stayed because I had some wonderful neighbors who helped me raise my son,” said Cecile Treece. “I worked twelve hours a day for years! When my son was little, my neighbors helped so much.” Cecile has lived in her home

Imagine being eighteen years old, freshly graduated from high school and being handed the keys to your own home. The elation! The freedom! Ms. Toliver was that eighteen year old 43 years ago. It had been her grandparents home originally. Unfortunately, they passed at an early age and the home was left vacant for a little while. Toliver’s father maintained the yard and kept up the house to keep it in good order, but no one lived there until Toliver came of age. At that point,

It was a brisk autumn afternoon. We sat on the patio of Claudette’s Crown Hill bungalow to keep a safe distance. She brought out a space heater and offered Tom Hawkins, Director of Operations , and I blankets to keep us warm. Ms. Claudette carries herself in the manner of someone who has lived a long, fruitful life. When I first heard about NeighborLink’s long-time relationship with Claudette, a relationship that ended up saving the organization, I wanted to sit down with her

Sometimes searching for that perfect gift can be daunting. In some cases, the idea of just adding more stuff to someone's already full house puts a damper on the holiday tradition. We've put together a list of ways you can support NeighborLink Indianapolis, that likely, fits in with other organizations as well. Just like small businesses, small nonprofits can use all the help we can get. 1. Give a gift of gratitude For the person who has it all, donate to an organization in h

Earlier this year we had the Indiana Public Safety Foundation (IPSF) out with the IMPD Cadets. IPSF is a nonprofit that helps support the 3200 women and men who serve in the public safety space in Indianapolis. One part of their relationship with IMPD is the IMPD Cadet program. This program focuses on 18 to 22 year olds who are interested in working with the IMPD. The program helps bridge the gap of interest to the age when they may apply to be a police officer. The Cadets a

Mrs. Bond received a phone call from her neighbor a few blocks away and was expecting to chat about the typical goings-on in the neighborhood. Things like, “did you see that house that’s being remodeled on 37th Street?” Or jumping into the typical fall foliage talk like, “Can you believe how beautiful maple trees are this autumn?” This call was different though. This call was providing a resource Mrs. Bond never expected but definitely needed—help. The neighbor launched into