You can help us to provide shelter, food, and a fresh start to our neighbors in need by joining us on Thursday, October 1 at our 6th annual Apple Fest. The Salvation Army is inviting those who live and do business downtown to Eat in the Street for homeless kids. And we’d like you to join us.

Booth space is only $100 for businesses ($50 for non-profits) and the funds raised at this event – through sponsorships and lunch – will be used to offer housing assistance, resources and support to moms and children find themselves homeless due to a financial struggles and domestic violence. Your donation will reserve a booth for you to showcase your items or services, and you will keep any profits from the day.

In addition to raising funds to help homeless kids, we hope to use this event to give your business/organization a little extra promotion. The event will be promoted on the Emmis stations and on WTHR channel 13 (as a Coats for Kids collection site) for the two weeks leading up to the event. Apple Fest will also be featured on Emmis’ websites with a link to our event site, HomelessnessBites.org, which will include logos, contact information and web links for all of our sponsors. We are also working with television, web and print media partners to promote the event.

Apple Fest is a great opportunity to reach potential customers while giving back to the community. Space is available on a first come, first serve basis through this Friday, September 25. Interested? Give Kristen a call at 224-1019.

Our long-time friend, Bob Gregory brought his WTHR family out to meet, greet and collect coats for our city’s families in need. I had the pleasure of spending the afternoon with Bob, Chuck and Mary Lofton and Angela Cain as fans dropped off coats and posed for camera phone pictures with a news team that seems like family.

We were touched by how many Colts fans pushed through the crowds to drop off a brand new coat or throw a few bucks in the kettle. It was shoulder to shoulder right at 4pm, so fans passed bags through the crowd. Angela and I would just yell “thank you” into the sea of blue, and fans would shout back “no, thank you!” Not too easy to remember to grab a parka when you’re wearing a t-shirt, so thanks to all of you Colts fans who donated coats or cash to make a difference in your city.

And since we couldn’t do this without our business community - we’ld like to take a moment to thank our partners. 

 - Thanks to Bob Gregory for being the face of Coats for Kids year after year. And thanks to the team at WTHR for giving us a few hours on your day off.

 - Thanks to Mike and the crew from Tuchman Cleaners who came out with carts and signs and for cleaning all these coats in time for distribution.

 - Thanks to the guys from Two Men and a Truck for loading nearly 1,300 coats into their truck on the street outside the stadium (and for taking them all to Tuchman’s for cleaning).

 - Thanks to the event staff at Lucas Oil Stadium for allowing us to collect before the game and for being such gracious hosts.

 - And, thanks to all of our volunteers who stood in the blazing sun to accept donations.

And to those of you who have not had the opportunity to donate, there’s still time to help.

 - Drop off a new or gently used coat at area Tuchman Cleaners through October 6th.

 - Want to take up a collection at your office? Let us know and we’ll arrange for a pick-up. 

 - Don’t have a coat/the time to buy one? You can donate online - your $25 donation will purchase a brand new coat for a little boy or girl this winter.