 Serve Indiana and our Grantee programs had a stellar year full of more engagement, professional development, and service opportunities than ever before!
Serve Indiana began January 2023 celebrating MLK Day of Service, with an invigorated resolve to bridge divides through selflessness and volunteerism. Our grantee programs from all over the state honored Dr. King's legacy through service projects all over the State of Indiana, bettering the lives of Hoosiers and their communities.
By February, we had continued to make good on our commitment towards anti-racism and participated in the Child Advocates led, Interrupting Racism Virtual training. Thanks to the funding provided by the Indiana AmeriCorps Directors Association (IADA) we were able to offer this transformative, interactive training to our grantee Program Director staff and Serve Indiana Commissioners. In March, Serve Indiana was fired up and getting things done for AmeriCorps; as we celebrated AmeriCorps Week! Thanks to the Butler University and staff led by Liz Jackson, Associate Director of Industry Partnerships; we had an impactful day of training and volunteerism. We are grateful to Gleaners, the Martin Luther King Community Center, and the Horizon House for collaborating with us and allowing us to serve beside them. Spring was eventful and we saw big changes. April, Serve Indiana excitedly welcomed our new Executive Director, Stefonie Sebastian! Formerly our Commission Chair, we have been thrilled to have Stefonie join in this capacity! She is an AmeriCorps Alum with a tenured lifelong commitment to service. In the same month, our grantee programs along with their members participated in AmeriCamp at Bradford Woods. Led by Deputy Executive Director for the Indiana Alliance of Boys & Girls Clubs, Jessica McKinley brought AmeriCorps members from multiple streams of service together. It was amazing time of team building and professional development in a beautiful, natural scenic environment. The first week in May, Serve Indiana to the journey to New Orleans, LA for the 2023 National Service Training (Central Region); just steps away from the historic French Quarter and riverfront. This event is hosted by America's Service Commissions (ASC) in partnership with Volunteer Louisiana. We came together with national service program colleagues, state service commission staff, AmeriCorps agency colleagues, and volunteer engagement partners for an educational and inspiring training opportunity!
June Orientation initiated the start of the 2023-2024 program year, as we gathered our entire portfolio of programs together in Indianapolis. We are grateful to our colleagues at the Indianapolis Neighborhood Resource Center (INRC) for our hosting our 2-day event. Making this orientation extra special with the presence of our special guests, Heather Foster, Maureen Eccleston, Service Year Alliance Director of Community Partnerships; Heather Foster, AmeriCorps Regional Administrator of the Midwest Region; and Lynnea Redmon-Williams, life strategies coach and trainer.
The summer continued to be a busy time as we sought out additional supports by pursing the Member Assistance Fund to establish member financial assistance funds to assist AmeriCorps members who are impacted by financial stress. Serve Indiana is pleased to have been selected to be a part of round one of the ASC and Schultz Family Foundation Membership Assistance Funds initiative. The fall was a busy and exciting time as we closed out the year with our biggest celebration of the year, the Serve Indiana Awards for Excellence Conference, this 2-day celebration of volunteerism and transformative training experience. During night one, Serve Indiana brought together over 200 community partners, colleagues, and distinguished guests at the Indiana Historical Society in Indianapolis to honor our incredible nominees and award our exemplary winners. On day two, we had our internal day of training for our grantee programs and their currently serving AmeriCorps members. The entire conference was filled with special guests, record crowds, incredible stories, and celebration of service! 2023 was a whirlwind, transformative year for Serve Indiana with many firsts as we sought to live up to the motto of Getting Things Done! We implore you join us as move forward in 2024 striving to have even greater nd more positive impact in Indiana!
Help Serve Indiana chart the course for service and volunteerism for the next three years! With a goal to have as many Hoosiers as possible complete the Citizen Survey from each of the 92 counties in Indiana, we need your assistance to spread the word. Your efforts to publicize and share the survey in your communities and networks will improve how we create, promote and support volunteer service opportunities. Please help us by filling out the Indiana Citizen Survey (or share this link: https://survey.zohopublic.com/zs/xZDHeN) and passing it along to your colleagues, friends and networks.
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We want to hear from current AmeriCorps Members and alumni, so please forward this information on! Serve Indiana is working to develop a statewide AmeriCorps alumni engagement strategy informed by AmeriCorps alums and commission stakeholders that provides meaningful opportunities for alumni to connect, serve, and lead in Indiana.
The responses collected from this survey will inform Serve Indiana’s strategy for AmeriCorps alumni engagement and the development of the State Service Plan. This survey should take approximately 15 minutes to complete. Serve Indiana is working with a consultant, Kristen Henry, on this effort and she can be reached at kristenlhenry@gmail.com with any questions or input. Thanks for your feedback!
Your members can access the survey here: https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/8LRPX6Z
 Serve Indiana is a voice for service and volunteerism in the state. Therefore, two mini-grant opportunities are being offered to provide resources to coordinate Day of Service projects. The program is to demonstrate the power of service as a solution to community needs. Mini-grants will be available in amounts of $500, $1,000, $2,500, and $5,000.
General Days of Service mini-grant applications will be accepted on a rolling basis in 2024, or until funds run out. Applications must be submitted 60 days prior to the date of the Day of Service. General Days of Service mini-grants are available to non-profit organizations and government entities. National Days of Service (Martin Luther King, Jr. National Day of Service and September 11th National Day of Service & Remembrance) mini-grants are available to AmeriCorps programs. Application deadlines are as follows:
- Martin Luther King, Jr. National Day of Service (January 20, 2025): Friday, November 8, 2024, by 5:00pm EST
- September 11th National Day of Service & Remembrance (September 11, 2024): Friday, July 12, 2024, by 5:00pm EST
For more information and application documents, please visit the Serve Indiana website.
Please contact Kirstyn Nohlechek with questions at knohlechek@serveindiana.gov or 317-439-2438.
 Serve Indiana is elated and excited to celebrate our first ServeIndiana Ambassador for 2024, Liz Jackson! Liz is a treasured friend and colleague of our team and a proud AmeriCorps Alum! Serving in 2004, her role with AIM was to mentor youth & develop social service partners in communities across Indiana. 20 years later, she’s still involved in community building & developing partnerships in her role as Associate Director of Industry Partnerships at Butler University. Follow us at https://www.facebook.com/ServeIndiana/ as we share more of Liz Jackson’s incredible AmeriStory all week long! #americorps30 #ServeINAmbassador #gettingthingsdone #ServeIndiana
 Serve Indiana is currently working to connect with AmeriCorps Alums living here in Indiana! Regardless of where you served, if you are here now and we want hear from you! Click the button below to visit our alums webpage to learn about helpful resources, share feedback, and get involved! Your term of service might be over but, the commitment to service is never done!
Connect with Indiana Alums!
Serve Indiana seeks to create a database of AmeriCorps alumni living in Indiana to support a statewide AmeriCorps alumni engagement strategy and provide meaningful opportunities for alumni to connect, serve, and lead in Indiana. Follow the link to the brief registration form to be included in Serve Indiana's AmeriCorps Alumni Database. We look forward to connecting with you, click the connect button below!
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