March 16, 2021
Local church transforms neglected Eastside neighborhood through strategic economic development plan
Eastern Star Church announces the groundbreaking of a 60,000-square-foot youth center — part of Phase II of its ROCK Initiative
by Shari Finnell, editor/writer, Not for Profit Newsletter


(Para leer en español, haga clic aquí) Translated by LUNA Language Services

When comparing the livability of a neighborhood, it’s easy to quickly get caught up in numbers — crime rate, school scores, home values, walkability scores … or miles to the nearest grocery store. House hunters are likely to carefully compare these ratings, knowing that it can impact the quality of their family’s lives after a move.

However, many residents in some of the city’s most impoverished communities can’t make those types of choices. With a significant number challenged by limited financial resources, moving isn’t an option.

Jeffrey A. Johnson, Sr., is intimately familiar with one of those neighborhoods — the Arlington Woods community, which is located in the 46218 ZIP code — an area that has been blighted by high crime rates, high rates of unemployment, high student dropout rates and, more recently, high rates of COVID-19 infection.

Johnson, who grew up in this neighborhood before going off to college, returned at the age of 24 to become the pastor of Eastern Star Church (ESC), which has three campuses, including its Main Campus at 5750 E. 30th St., in the heart of the 46218 community.

Under Johnson’s 33-year leadership, the church continually invested in the community through a food pantry, affordable apartment housing, financial investments in local schools, health fairs, volunteering, mentoring and other programs. In 2017, Johnson joined members of ESC in announcing the launch of The ROCK Initiative, a more comprehensive plan for investing in the community. The ROCK Initiative is built on four pillars — affordable housing, strong community, quality education and financial security.

As part of Phase I, the church renovated and built single-family homes, developed an urban garden, and constructed a multi-use complex with 25 apartment units and retail space occupied by a credit union, a grocery store and social service providers. The initiative received support from numerous community partners, including INHP, Habitat for Humanity, The Mind Trust, Financial Health Federal Credit Union, Community Health, and Eskenazi Health.

Today, it announced another major phase in accomplishing its vision for a transformed community — the development of the ROCK Community Center for Children and Youth, a 60,000-square-foot facility that will provide students a safe environment to study, learn new skills, and engage in recreational and developmental activities.

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PEOPLE ON THE MOVE
IU Ventures has hired Jonathan Barada as vice president. Barada most recently served as president and chief executive officer of Bloomington Health Foundation. — Inside Indiana Business
Indiana Donor Network has hired Jefferson Hare as manager of in-house organ recovery and perfusion operations. Hare most recently served as CEO of Transplant Staffing Resources. — Inside Indiana Business 
The Damien Center has promoted Marco Gonzalez to director of human resources and operations. Gonzalez previously served as a care coordinator and executive assistant. — Inside Indiana Business
EmployIndy has promoted Chelsea Meldrum to chief development & external affairs officer. Meldrum previously served as development officer for the Indianapolis Museum of Art. — Inside Indiana Business 
ANNOUNCEMENTS
Lilly Endowment has approved $16.75 million in new grants to help Indiana communities respond to the ongoing challenges of the COVID-19 pandemic. The support consists of a $15 million grant to Indiana United Ways, which will distribute funds primarily through its statewide network of local United Ways to help meet needs in Hoosier communities, and a $1.75 million grant to United Way of Central Indiana to help meet needs in Boone, Hamilton, Hancock, Hendricks and Morgan counties. Read

Cathedral High School has created the Chris Beaty Endowed Memorial Tuition Fund in honor of the local businessman, who was often called “Mr. Indianapolis.” So far, $100,000 has been donated to the fund. Read

Wabash-based White's Residential & Family Services is launching the Catapult program, which will equip young adults with the skills necessary for obtaining employment in the state's advanced manufacturing sector. Read

Gleaners Food Bank of Indiana reported that it distributed twice as much food in 2020 than it did in 2019. The increased demand was attributed to the economic upheaval stemming from the COVID-19 pandemic. Listen

Easterseals Arc of Northeast Indiana has received a $200,000 gift from the Chapman Charitable Trust. The gift will be used to purchase more Murphy beds and mattresses to increase respite services and emergency lodging capacity. Read
PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT
Employee retention credit: A guide for nonprofit & higher education leaders webinar on March 18 at 2 p.m. Learn the criteria an organization must meet to qualify for the ERC. Presented by BKD. Cost: Free. Register

Creating space for critical conversations on March 18 at 10 a.m. Become empowered with skills necessary to have critical conversations with people around issues of values-based importance, including how to address hate language and bias. Presented by Peace Learning Center. Cost: $35. Register

Planning for a successful campaign webinar on March 23 at noon. The session will address various topics, including how to ensure a successful campaign in a new environment and how to plan for effective campaigns in advance. Presented by Johnson Grossnickle & Associates. Cost: Free. Register

Life beyond COVID-19: Nonprofit strategies to survive & move forward webinar on March 25 at 2 p.m. This webinar will review how nonprofits have been affected by the global crisis, what they’ve done to stay strong, and what they're doing now to help restore communities. Presented by BKD. Cost: Free. Register

Starting a 501(c)3 nonprofit organization on Mar 27 at 7 p.m. will help you assess whether starting a nonprofit is right for you. Presented by Indiana Legal Services. Cost: Free. Learn more

How to build an individual giving program webinar on April 1 at 7 p.m. Understand the current fundraising environment and how to overcome your fears with individual giving programs. Presented by CFRE. Cost: Free. Register

Developing an effective board of directors webinar on April 3 at 7:00 p.m. Understand the basic responsibilities of nonprofit boards and identify methods for improving board effectiveness. Presented by Falicia Brewer as part of an Indianapolis Public Library program. Cost: Free. Register
TRENDS
A brief summary of the nonprofit sector, according to BKD’s 2021 Annual Report State of the Nonprofit Sector report.
Nonprofits worked together more than ever during the pandemic and should continue to embrace a collaborative environment where organizations share resources and work toward mutual goals.
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JOBS
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Executive

Executive Director - 100 Black Men of Indianapolis, Inc.

President - Arts for Learning Indiana


Development

Grants and Compliance Manager - The Julian Center

Vice President of Fund Development - Girl Scouts of Central Indiana

Annual Giving Officer -Ascension St. Vincent Foundation


Community Relations Specialist - LIFEDesigns Inc.


Donor Engagement Officer - Gleaners Food Bank of Indiana


Administrative/Management/Leadership

Office Manager/Bookkeeper for Homeless Shelter - Family Promise of Greater Indianapolis


Operations Manager - Art Museum of Greater Lafayette

Receptionist/Office Administrator - Indiana Repertory Theatre

Office Manager - Pre-Born!


Marketing/Communications/Events

Communications Specialist - Indianapolis Transportation Corporation (IndyGo)

Director of Communications - Indianapolis Transportation Corporation (IndyGo)

Membership and Communications Coordinator - Raybourn Group International


Finance

Finance Assistant - Damien Center

Staff Accountant - Exodus Refugee Immigration, Inc.

Assistant Director of Finance - Ball State University


Data/Research/Informatics



Programs

Vice President of Child Care - YMCA of Greater Indianapolis


Program Director, Accelerate 100+ - Mid-States Minority Supplier Development Council (Mid-States MSDC)

Career Education and Training Academy Coordinator – Edna Martin Christian Center

Family Success Coach – Edna Martin Christian Center

Director of Diversity, Equity & Inclusion – Indiana Youth Institute


Program Director - Boys & Girls Clubs of Indianapolis

Match Specialist - Starfish Initiative


Mentoring Relationship Specialist - Big Brothers Big Sisters of Central Indiana

Vice President of Equity Advancement - YMCA of Greater Indianapolis

Home Delivery Services Associate - Gleaners Food Bank of Indiana

Director of Community Engagement - Keep Indianapolis Beautiful (KIB)


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Professional Standards and Compliance Specialist - MIBOR REALTOR® Association

State Policy Associate – EdChoice


Internships