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

Recent studies have shown your zip code can impact your life expectancy, both positively and negatively. Known as social determinants of health, Eskenazi Health recognizes where you live, learn and worship can significantly affect your health and quality of life. For more than 160 years, Eskenazi Health has continued to find and support new ways to address social determinants of health affecting the patients and communities Eskenazi Health serves. Food as medicine Nearly 200

NeighborLink Indianapolis works hard to connect with each of the homeowners we work with to truly understand their needed repairs and situation for aging in place safely. The homeowners we work with are typically among the lowest income in our community and their standard of living often surprises some of our volunteers who are pretty far removed from anyone who would qualify as “low-income.” Last year, we partnered with Marian University’s School of Social Work to provide an

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

By Wes Trapp & Eric McMillion At NeighborLink, our mission is clear, help individuals with disabilities and senior homeowners in-need age-in-place safely and with dignity. When we get a chance to partner with an organization that shares the same passion in helping among some of the most vulnerable in our communities, we take it. In 2021 NeighborLink partnered with Indiana Construction Roundtable (ICR) for their BY Plus Training Program . ICR provides a successful BY program t

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

Our costs have shifted with our updated ways of covering the needs in our community, with that, we’ve noticed three big areas where funding

Today is a day full of gratitude. We give thanks for every person that has contributed in some way to our mission of helping homeowners age in place safely and with dignity. Frequently we hear from homeowners we’ve been able to help and we’d like to share three of those notes of thanks with you. Ms. Willa is a sweet homeowner in her eighties who shares her home of 48 years with her grandson, his wife, their little baby and an adopted daughter. For the last two years the fami

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

BOO! Home Repair Doesn’t Have to be Scary encouraged volunteers, both seasoned and new, to provide home repairs

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

Dave Withey, founder of NeighborLink Indianapolis, was honored with the prestigious Golden Hoosier Award September 15, 2021. The Golden Hoosier Award has been awarded to Hoosiers who are being recognized for a lifetime of community service and commitment to serving others. The award ceremony was hosted by Lt. Governor Suzanne Crouch The Division of Aging, Indiana Family and Social Services Administration Indiana History Center AARP Indiana. Dave was one of 21 recipients and w

The CDC reports that 1 in 4 Americans over the age of 65 experiences a fall each year, leading to more than 3 million injuries and 800,000 hospitalizations. As members of the care management team at IU Health Connected Care in Indianapolis, our job is to help keep our patients as safe and healthy as possible, and that often includes conversations about their home and risk of falling. IU HealthConnected Care is enhanced primary care exclusively for adults on Medicare, Medicare

In 2013 Dave Withey, Tom Hawkins and Jeanette Jefferis had no idea the little organization they were building would become an integral part of the Indianapolis social services landscape within a decade's time. From taking their early days of retirement to work on every aspect of the organization to now handing over the reins one new employee at a time. Today, September 1, 2021 marks the day Dave hands over the reins as executive director to Rachel Nelson. He gladly takes up 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

Jay Barclay has been volunteering with NeighborLink Indianapolis for the last five years. He generously gives at least one Saturday each month to help hoist gutters, fix fascia boards and guide new handy-people-to-be on proper hand tool usage. Jay is one of the long-time members of our gutter team. Jay isn’t a professional gutter guy, in fact, his work week uses a far different skill set. One might wonder how he got into this line of volunteering. “Dave Withey and I attend th

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

Dave Withey, Founder and Executive Director of NeighborLink Indianapolis Foundation (NLI) will step down from that position September 1, 2021. Withey started NLI in 2013 shortly after retiring from a career in IT with Lilly. A few helpful home repairs for neighbors led to his realization that a gap within Indianapolis’ social services left low-income homeowners, specifically seniors and those with disabilities, at risk of losing their home or being unable to age in place. Wit

I have been working alongside NeighborLink Indianapolis as an AmeriCorps Public Ally for the last ten months. NeighborLink Indianapolis provides home repairs to low-income individuals with disabilities and senior homeowners at no cost. Most of my work with NeighborLink Indianapolis has been behind a computer working with data systems helping establish their customer relations management system; however, I made it out to volunteer a couple of times during my time with them. A