Look for us at Verizon Wireless Music Center

It’s time again for outdoor concerts and we’re thrilled to ring for Hoosiers in need before several of their concerts throughout the summer series. It’s a great way for us to bring in some extra dollars for our programs that help Hoosiers in need. And our volunteers get a little reward for giving their time in the summer sun – two free lawn tickets to that night’s concert. It’s a win-win!

So, if you’re planning on spending an evening under the stars enjoying your favorite band, look for us. We’ll be at the following concerts – Read more

Ladies Striving for Success: Women from Homeless Shelter Receive a Fresh New Look

“Who are you? Why are you here? And now what shall you wear?” These are questions  we all have pondered. And when it comes to the part about what to wear, it is particularly important to the ladies. While our outward appearance does not define who we are or influence our God-given purpose, treating ourselves to a fresh, new outfit can go a long way in bringing out the inward beauty. This beauty can get buried and lost under our struggles.

 

As a busy mother who put her children before herself for many years before realizing her need to replenish, Catrina Brown felt the need to offer a special evening of pampering to the ladies who live at The Salvation Army’s Women and Children’s Shelter in downtown Indianapolis. Many have ended up there as a result of domestic abuse and negligence, having nowhere else to turn and leaving their old lives behind. Some come to the shelter with a few belongings in trash bags, stripped of joy and hope.

For these ladies, Catrina envisioned an evening of dinner, motivational speakers and a fashion makeover.  Clothing, jewelry, nail polish and shoes were collected along with a group of fellow Salvation Army employees who were delighted to help organize and serve at the event.  To make it even more special, the makeover was kept secret.

As the speakers gave testimonies of victories over tragic situations, the room resounded with many amens and hallelujahs. It was much needed encouragement for these ladies as they begin their process of healing and renewal. Just as the butterfly sheds its old skin and is a new creation, it was then revealed to the ladies that they would be stepping behind the curtain to shop for a new outfit, complete with shoes and accessories. Judging by the smiles and squeals, it truly was a night of success for these ladies and one that will hopefully be a step towards a brighter future.

The Best Gifts Come in Small Packages for Booth Manor Residents

The life of a senior citizen can be filled with mundane routines and loneliness. In an effort to change that, third and fourth grade students from White Lick Elementary School blessed the residents of The Salvation Army’s low income senior housing as part of their Service Learning Project.  It was just another fine example of the character of these elementary school students who have selflessly responded to an awareness of needs in their community.

Led by fourth grade teacher Emily Steffen, this was the second project carried out by these students for The Salvation Army .  Earlier in the year, these same students were so moved by the reality of homelessness for the women and children at our shelter, that they coordinated making and delivering blankets and care packages to the shelter.

On this sunny day at Booth Manor, home to 75 seniors, curious residents greeted the group of energetic youngsters as they arrived with teachers and parents. The students came ready to unload and deliver care boxes filled with food, toiletries and handmade scarves. After making sure every resident on all three floors received a gift, the students assembled for a talent show in the dining hall.  Amidst juggling plastic discs and a hip-hop dance routine, the seniors were visibly moved by the students’ enthusiasm, clapping and smiling as the children performed.

Continuing in the mode of service, the children took on the roles of waitstaff, gathering drink and pizza orders from the seniors, sitting with some of them as they ate. Before returning to their classrooms, the children gathered around for a few rounds of Bingo with the seniors. As the students packed up for the ride back to their classrooms, one senior was heard  saying, “Thank you for bringing these wonderful children here today! I wish they could be here everyday!”

Service Learning Projects are a great way to teach youth about the importance of giving back to their communities. To view the video of White Lick’s  service project, click on the highlighted link to their school in this story.  If you’d like information about how you can participate in such an experience, please contact our volunteer coordinator Elizabeth Wilhelm at (317)224-1010 or Julia Sipes at (317)224-1067

Big finale for National Salvation Army Week – ‘Eat Outside the Box’

Indy knows how to put lunch dollars to work for a good cause and you proved it at our second annual ‘Eat Outside the Box’ picnic on Friday. We were out there to spread the word about a major need in our city – shelter and a future for the 1,500 kids and their moms who find themselves without a place to call home. Whether from domestic violence or economic struggles, these moms and kids find their way to our shelter each night looking for care, compassion and a fresh start. Because of you, we can continue to provide just that.

Without the generosity of our partners, we couldn’t do what we do to help our neighbors in need. Thanks to our food sponsors at All-American Picnic for firing up their new locomotive grill (above, picnic guys with our development director Jeff Stanger in front of their hard-working showpiece), GFS for donating all the chips and to Ricker’s am/pm stores for bringing plenty of 2-liters and ice. And we couldn’t forget the ladies who baked all the tempting treats for the Doughnut Girls to offer for donations. Read more

Eat Outside the Box: event to end homelessness

As part of the Homelessness Bites campaign, a campaign to raise awareness and money for Indianapolis’s homeless, The Salvation Army put together the second annual Eat Outside the Box event. A lunch was served from 10 a.m. until 2 p.m. Friday, May 14 at the Veteran’s Memorial Plaza. Numerous people had the $5 lunch which included a hamburger or hotdog, chips, coleslaw and a drink, while 67 homeless persons ate for free.

About 7,500 Hoosiers in Indianapolis are homeless each year. Many times these individuals are single mothers and their children. The Salvation Army provides for homeless mothers and their children at the Women and Children’s Shelter in Indianapolis. Julia Sipes, special events coordinator for the shelter, says that raising money for the Homelessness Bites cause “means they (shelter residents) can eat. Every cent helps.”

Sipes says that a major benefit of The Salvation Army’s Women and Children’s Shelter is that it’s a safe haven. Some of the women and children at the shelter are escaping domestic violence. The shelter provides more than just a bed, but also life skills classes that include parenting courses, nutrition courses and guest speakers.

Homelessness Bites spokesperson Mel McMahon was looking for a way to help others when Jeff Stanger, Development Director of The Indiana Salvation Army, asked her to join the Homelessness Bites campaign last August. “I could not turn it down,” says McMahon.

One of McMahon’s main focuses for the Homelessness Bites campaign is to reach out to young people and make them more aware of the services that The Salvation Army provides.  

Volunteering their time and providing music for the event was Band Wagon. The band is a familiar participant in these events, performing at The Salvation Army’s Apple Fest event last October.

“It’s just a great honor for us,” says Band Wagon singer Lisa Kopczynski. “We’ll do it every time they ask us to.”

There were many supporters and participants in this year’s Eat Outside the Box. Hot dogs, hamburgers and chips were provided by All-American Picnic Company and GFS Marketplace, and drinks were donated by Ricker’s Stores and Noodles and Company. Other participants included Two Men and a Truck, ampm, ChaCha, 107.9, WISH-TV, Ivy Tech Community College, Comcast, Avon, Indy Star, The American Legion, The Indianapolis Colts, The Indiana Pacers, Indy Custom Cornhole and HVAF.

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