Sponsors make Apple Fest success

The Salvation Army’s 7th annual Apple Fest was easily our best to date. And we couldn’t have done it without our most successful partnerships yet. Applebee’s, GFS Marketplace, Ricker’s and Kroger provided all the food and beverages so lunch dollars really could do the most good for the women and kids at our shelter.

Thanks to all of our community parnters who supported us with booth, table and promotional sponsorships as well – the Emmis family of stations (93WIBC, 1070 The Fan, B105 and Hank FM), WTHR-13, Complete Office Supply, Adrian Orchards, Two Men and a Truck, Huntington Bank, ComedySportz, Cartridge Specialists INK, Graphicon, Unique Home Solutions, the American Legion, Avon, HVAF and Indy Custom Cornhole. Bandwagon put on a great show, too!

And thanks to our community for coming out and putting those lunch dollars to work for a good cause! If you’d like to learn more (or buy one of those great t-shirts) about our programs that support our neighbors struggling with homelessness and abuse, go to HomelessnessBites.org

West Coast Tacos Guys ‘Bite Back’

Our Homelessness Bites campaign is all about encouraging you to find unique ways to give of who you are and what you do to make a difference in the lives of moms and kids who have found themselves homeless because of the economy or domestic violence. Well, Indy, you’re listening.

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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.

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.

Partner with a purpose

Long-time Homelessness Bites campaign partners, Two Men and a Truck, will be joining us at ‘Eat Outsides the Box’ this May 14 from 10am-2pm at Veteran’s Memorial Plaza. And they’re hoping you’ll follow their lead by becoming a booth sponsor.

Why? Because 1,500 kids spend their nights on the streets of Indy and you can do something about it!

Partnership is super affordable – booth space is just $50! And Veteran’s Memorial Plaza offers a great location where about 400 picnic-goers joined us for last year’s event. That means prime exposure for our partnering non-profits and businesses. You’re welcome to have displays, giveways and even sell non-food items and you keep the profits!

Interested? Call Kristen at 224-1019 and reserve your space today to get in on early promotions.

Can’t sponsor? Well, you can come out for lunch and take a bite out of homelessness! The central location at Meridian & Michigan is super convenient for the employees of dozens of downtown businesses to just walk over and join us. All-American Picnic Company will be grilling hamburgers in addition to hotdogs. And we’re thrilled to have live music from BandWagon again this year! Lunch and tunes beats leftovers at your desk, right?

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