23 Die In Gun Violence In August, Millions Approved to Quell Criminal Homicides
Millions in funding have been aimed at containing the growth of violent crime in our city, but money and police alone cannot stop the carnage. This has to be a community effort. In July, 32 people were killed, the highest number in a single month for almost a decade.
And, it isn’t all guns. In the final week of August two babies were killed by child abuse. As upsetting as these mortality numbers are, there are many more victims who survived an attack. Almost 40 percent of the homicides involve street groups, and police say they are familiar with most of the potential shooters. "We want to see a decrease in gun violence," Mayor Joe Hogsett (pictured) said. "I hope it's not incremental. I hope it's substantial." As of September 10, 171 criminal homicides have been committed in our city. If you have information regarding any criminal activity, you can report it here. |
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Watch it Here: Video Links to Second Chance Staffing Study, & More
Details are now available on the Second Chance Staffing Study, conducted by Butler University’s Lacy School of Business. Check out the links below to get your own seat at the event where all the details were presented on the study findings as well as UNITE INDY'S 3-tier approach to helping reentrants, and the development of our new app that will help them navigate the process of reentering society successfully.
Click here to see UNITE INDY's 3-point strategy that Jim presented on reentrant employment! And click here to watch the entire event, featuring Dr. Kathy Paulson-Gjerde on the fascinating findings of the Second Chance Employment Study, and Ian Cox on UNITE INDY's on-going development of our phone app, Indy Reentry Navigator.
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East 10th Street Fair Unites Community With Art And Information
At 10 East Arts Hub o n September 11th, Shop 28th put on “Let’s Talk About It," an event offering lots of live music as well as helpful connections to those who can assist with reentry, criminal expungements, spiritual growth, mental health and artist development. UNITE INDY's Jim Cotterill (center) is pictured with event organizers Zachary Le'on (left) and Francis Nwosu (right). Jim supplied information on how we connect, through SecondChanceIndy.com, those returning from incarceration with employers who are willing to give them a second chance .
As always, we find that one-on-one relationship development is the brick and mortar of building a shared commitment to improving lives in our community. Connect with 10 East Arts here.
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Mickey’s Camp Hits 20th Anniversary: Benefits Charities
Mickey Maurer’s “Mickey’s Camp 2021” took place at Indiana University's Bradford Woods Outdoor Center, August 18-20 with men from every walk of life who pooled funds to raise thousands for charities across our area. UNITE INDY co-founder Jim Cotterill attended, as do many local heads of charitable organizations. Said Maurer, one of the owners of Indianapolis Business Journal, "Mickey’s Camp was a long-time dream of mine." In 2001, that dream came true, and in the past nineteen years the event has provided attendees with a great time and the camaraderie of fellow campers." In 2019 (2020 cancelled due to COVID), the women’s and men’s camps combined to raise more than $135,000 for more than 80 charities. Jim said, “The food’s pretty great too." This year's meals were provided by Amore Pizzeria, Big Woods, The District Tap, Metro Diner, Public Greens, and Sullivan’s Steakhouse. You can learn more about Mickey's Camp here.
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Don't We All Need Some Good News?
Seriously, with the crisis in Afghanistan, the flooding from hurricane Ida, and shootings in the streets, we all need some good news. If everyone was like Eliot Middleton the world would be overflowing with goodness! In a small rural town the former mechanic decided to start his own restaurant, cooking ribs in his great-grandmother’s sauce recipe. He’s very successful…but after one long day of giving away food to those who couldn't afford a hot meal, including some who he noticed came on foot, he had an idea. Now, he goes home after work at the restaurant and spends his time fixing donated broken cars with parts paid for out of his own pocket. What do you think he does next? Read Nancy’s good news blog. I t might just lighten your heart, and it's a great story.
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Some folks at UNITE INDY will tell you: "The Prayer of Jabez works."
Since 2017 we've been working to help those in need in our city. Race is an issue, but poverty and the lack of jobs are directly linked to increased crime, lack of adequate medical care, low educational opportunities and so much more. Add to that the fact that those who have served long term sentences in prison or in county jails have had little chance of finding work. We became laser focused on serving this group when we realized that, even though job openings are plentiful, many of the neighborhoods in which ex-offenders live have more than 20% unemployment.
We are putting these puzzle pieces together to raise the level of self sufficiency, dignity and independence in places where it is now scarce. This short video shows the path that hard work and lots of prayer has yielded in our service to those returning to Central Indiana from incarceration. Please give us a few minutes of your time! We need a strong show of local support to receive grants that will enable us to do this work, and we believe that you just might like what we’re doing.
Thank you!
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Why Support UNITE INDY?
In addition to a major effort to work with the 12,000 inmates reentering our area after incarceration, we are working to improve employment in our poorest neighborhoods.
How You Can Support Jobs for Justice- Involved Individuals
3. Become a Member - Your tax deductible gift will buy either 5 Student Workbooks for a class or 10 meals for students, their mentors, and instructors to gather around a table before each class, sharing food, transforming the moment into something more unique by creating a sense of community, which strengthens the relationship building process.
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Support of Ministries and Charities:
Since 2017 UNITE INDY has provided a free web-based system at UNITEINDY.org that connects churches, ministries, and other charities to share their volunteer needs or needed items. UNITE INDY also provides the manpower necessary to assist smaller organizations—that have no one to upload needed items—the help they require to access this service. Through this portal, UNITE INDY has brought hundreds of volunteers and thousands of dollars worth of needed goods into the hands of those who assist the poor.
Serving the Servants:
UNITE INDY comes behind urban pastors and ministry leaders by addressing personal and professional needs with free services for those who work tirelessly in their neighborhoods to care for the needy and bereft.
Remember, almost 1 out of every 3 children in Indianapolis lives below the poverty level, yet even in the aftermath of the COVID shut down, as our economy comes back to life and employment is returning, all this good news stops at the lines surrounding many of our inner city neighborhoods. In some neighborhoods of Marion County unemployment is now 21%, and poverty remains the overwhelming divider of people.
Please donate to UNITE INDY now. There are a number of choices that are all secure and safe. By sending your fully tax deductible gift* now we can have a greater impact meeting needs in our community in 2021.
Many, many thanks!
*UNITE INDY, Inc. is approved under Internal Revenue Code (IRC) Section 501(c)(3) as a Public Charity, donors can deduct contributions they make under IRC Section 170.
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Corporate Partners
A big Thank YOU to our Corporate Partners for their unwavering support which makes it possible for us to provide our services at no charge to job applicants and employers!
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