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United Way of Central Indiana Endorses Centers for Working Families Model

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LISC and United Way collaborate to pave path forward for working families in Indianapolis Ann Murtlow, President and CEO of United Way of Central Indiana (UWCI), announced a partnership with LISC to benefit working families in Indianapolis. Since 2007, LISC has invested $4.5 million to implement the CWF model in Indianapolis. Indianapolis Foundation, an affiliate of Central Indiana Community Foundation (CICF), has funded CWF since 2007 through the Family Success Initiative, providing annual operating grants to the CWF network. LISC currently operates six CWF neighborhood centers and a center at Ivy Tech Community College, providing bundled services to empower working … Continued

Centers for Working Families Begin Second Year of “Bridge Works” Initiative

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  LISC-sponsored Centers for Working Families have begun the second year of the Bridge Works initiative. Two centers will each receive $40,000 from Accenture to refine and expand academic-occupational “bridge” programming. These programs help low-skilled working adults to improve literacy and technical skills leading to better jobs in targeted sectors of health care and manufacturing. Indianapolis is one of just six cities in the LISC national network to receive funding to support “bridge” training initiatives. The centers to receive the additional resources are Mary Rigg Neighborhood Center and Southeast Community Services. To learn more about the Bridge Works initiative and … Continued

Centers for Working Families Launches Website

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The Centers for Working Families (CWF) program, with the help of The Indianapolis Foundation, an affiliate of the Central Indiana Community Foundation (CICF), has launched its new website: www.cwfindy.org. Designed to educate, create awareness, and enlist CWF support, the site focuses on program components and the impact it’s having on participants. CWF has seven locations throughout the city providing career and personal financial services that focus on the financial bottom line for low-to-moderate income individuals and families. This means changing people’s financial behavior in a way that encourages them to make a long-term commitment to increasing income, decreasing expenses, and acquiring assets. “CICF is … Continued

Centers For Working Families

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People living in the urban neighborhoods of Indianapolis need resources to help them get jobs, manage their finances, and gain access to credit, information, and services that can help them advance in life. That’s why LISC, with major support from the Central Indiana Community Foundation, became involved with the Centers for Working Families (CWFs): a national model developed by the Annie E. Casey Foundation to help the working poor develop, grow, and protect their assets. The CWF network in Indianapolis is composed of seven neighborhood-based centers that transition families from living paycheck to paycheck to investing in their future – … Continued

The Working Poor Should Be Better Off

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“The working poor should be better off than the non-working poor.” So says my good friend and tireless champion for the dispossessed, Gregg Keesling, who runs a very successful social enterprise employing ex-offenders here in Indianapolis. It’s a theme that resonates across the network of LISC-sponsored Financial Opportunity Centers (known as Centers for Working Families in Indianapolis). There’s much rhetoric about why the poor stay poor, but the FOCs are seeing people every day who work for living but seem to get nowhere. It’s a complicated dynamic – partly behavioral but mostly about lack of assets – social capital, educational attainment, … Continued

The State of Financial Security of Hoosier Families

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The Centers for Working Families is LISC’s platform in lifting up low-income families out of poverty and into the economic mainstream by helping families increase earnings and develop assets. The CWF program was featured as part of a guest blog on the Institute for Working Families website to show the need for both private and public sectors to come together and restore economic mobility to Hoosier families. From the Institute for Working Families Blog: GUEST BLOG: New Scorecard Confirms Nearly Half of Hoosiers in a Persistent State of Financial Insecurity By Anne Guthrie: Anne is the Center for Working Families (CWF) … Continued

Centered on Success

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Vince “Hoosier” first came to the Mary Rigg Neighborhood Center—long a partner with LISC in delivering much-need community services in West Indianapolis—at the start of 2011 after being laid off due to the economic downturn. He had been referred to the center by a friend, who suggested he enroll in a computer-training course with the hope of learning new skills that would help him get a job. “My first impression of the Mary Rigg Neighborhood Center was a really good one,” said Vince. “Everybody wanted to help me by any means they could. They wanted to hear my goals and … Continued

NYT Magazine Highlights LISC’s Twin Accounts Program

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The New York Times Magazine highlights LISC’s Twin Accounts program in the article: “How Credit Card Debt Helps the Poor.” Without access to credit, low-income working families face limited economic opportunity. Landlords, employers, and insurance companies look at credit scores as part of their decision making process. Individuals with low credit scores lack access to quality rentals, are unqualified for certain jobs, and are required to pay deposits for utilities. The LISC supported Centers for Working Families work with people to get jobs, reduce debt, and build savings. One of its most important services is helping people gain access to … Continued

2013 LISC Highlights

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Indianapolis LISC invested $16,399,297 in grants, contracts, loans, and equity in 2013 to support comprehensive urban redevelopment projects and programs. This is approximately a 22% increase over the 2012 investment. The increase is due to a strong focus by LISC to grow its loan and equity portfolio - which was up 32% over 2012 levels. LISC approved three loans, five recoverable grants, and two equity investments in 2013 totaling $15,060,092. 2013 real estate highlights included: Clifton Square –LISC provided a $385,092 predevelopment loan and $9.5 million in equity for predevelopment and construction of this 57 unit, four story apartment … Continued

Publications Archives

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GINI Evaluation Reports GINI Evaluation Summary GINI Full Evaluation Report Bill’s IBJ Columns TAFT: Insitutions must invest in neighborhoods TAFT: Momentum gathering for urban revitalization TAFT: Urban independents’ frustration with pols TAFT: A golden chance to mainstream urban living TAFT: Charters are stable arks amid flood of change TAFT: Now for a Super Bowl just for ourselves TAFT: Education reform should include real estate TAFT: Indy needs demolition and renovation TAFT: Jobs will bring back worn neighborhoods TAFT: The mayor as crucial recruiter-in-chief TAFT: More leverage needed from Water Co. sale TAFT: Why mass transit should be a GOP issue … Continued

Staff

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At LISC Indianapolis, we’re passionate about community development. With over 100 years of combined experience among our staff, we’re here to work alongside you to improve our core neighborhoods and to help our neighbors build better communities. Bill Taft Executive Director (317) 454-8496 [email protected] Lesley FitzSimons Office Manager (317) 454-8494 [email protected] Tedd Grain Deputy Director (317) 454-8492 [email protected] Aaron Laramore Program Officer (317) 454-8489 [email protected] Tom Orr Senior Program Officer, Centers for Working Families (317) 454-8491 [email protected] Sara VanSlambrook Senior Program Officer (317) 454-8493 [email protected] Elle Roberts Program Assistant, Communications and Fund Development (317) 454-8490 [email protected] Whitney Fields Program Assistant … Continued

Program Partners

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LISC is supported by a broad network of program partners. Without their help, our work wouldn’t be possible. Learn more about our partners at the links below.   Housing City of Indianapolis Indianapolis Neighborhood Housing Partnership Department of Housing and Urban Development Indiana Housing and Community Development Authority Federal Home Loan Bank of Indianapolis Crooked Creek Northwest Community Development Corporation East 10th Street Civic Association Indianapolis Coalition for Neighborhood Development Indy-East Asset Development Irvington Development Organization King Park Area Development Corporation Mapleton Fall Creek Community Development Corporation Near North Development Corporation Partners in Housing Development Corporation Riley Area Development Corporation … Continued

Publications & Videos

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Get information and various perspectives on LISC and its different programs from the videos and publications below. Check back for updates often! VIDEOS The LISC Story: In Their Own Words Real Estate Developer Craig VonDeylen on LISC 2012 Near East Side Super Bowl Legacy Initiative Neighborhood Visionary: Jackie Nytes Neighborhood Visionary: Judge’s BBQ Neighborhood Visionary: HealthNet Southwest Health and Dental Center Neighborhood Visionary: Terri Garcia Neighborhood Visionary: Phil Tom Neighborhood Visionary: Diane Arnold Neighborhood Visionary: Amandula Anderson Neighborhood Visionary: Bill Gray ANNUAL REPORTS 2010 Annual Report 2011 Annual Report 2012 Annual Report 2013 Annual Report 2014 Annual Report ABOUT LISC … Continued

Where We Work

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Use the LISC Map Tool to explore our neighborhoods. Click the layers below to get started. Since 2006, LISC has launched two major projects—the Great Indy Neighborhoods Initiative and the Sustainable Communities Initiative—designed to spur growth, improvement, opportunity, and economic viability throughout Indianapolis. With these initiatives, LISC has helped foster collaboration between neighbors, community organizations, government leaders, and businesses, resulting in an improved quality of life for the neighborhoods we support. We continue to expand our efforts to include additional neighborhoods, but our goal remains the same: to drive comprehensive, sustainable development. Total Investment in LISC Sustainable Communities*: Total Quality-of-Life … Continued

Southeast

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Connected to the Cultural Trail, sporting the city’s only cycle track, and home to duckpin bowling and an eclectic mix of restaurants and music venues, Southeast Indianapolis is one of the city’s oldest areas, consisting of a diverse set of neighborhoods: BatesHendricks, Fletcher Place, Fountain Square, Fountain Square Alliance, SECO, Irish Hill, Holy Rosary, North Square, Norwood Place, and Garfield Neighbors. Southeast Neighborhood Development is the convening agency for this area, working in close collaboration with Southeast Community Services and many other neighborhood organizations like Fountain Square Merchants Association, SENSE Charter School, and others. As part of the quality-of-life planning … Continued