National Days of Service
2016 Site Descriptions
Updated: August 26, 2016
Big Car Collaborative
Thursday, Oct. 20, 8:30 a.m.-12:30 p.m. and 1-5 p.m.
40 students per shift
Big Car Collaborative brings art to people and people to art with the goal of sparking creativity in lives to transform
communities. Their arts and cultural programming, along with events, engage the Indianapolis community by building a
stronger sense of neighborhood identity. Throughout each shift the volunteers will paint at The Tube Factory, help with
landscaping around the property, help with interior renovations and help clean up the river banks that are within the Big Car
Collaborative property. Volunteers will learn about the importance of bringing arts to the community and how everyone has
something to add to the mix.
* All activities are labor intensive and will be outside unless there is lightning or severe weather. Participants are
encouraged to dress in layers to be prepared for the weather. Dress code guidelines: Old clothes, long pants and closed
toe shoes (work boots or old tennis shoes), jacket or sweatshirt encouraged. The site will provide jersey work gloves but
feel free to bring your own if you desire.
Christamore House
Thursday, Oct. 20, 8:30 a.m.-12:30 p.m. and 1-5 p.m.
Friday, Oct. 21, 8:30 a.m.-12:30 p.m. and 1-5 p.m.
80 students per shift
The Christamore House provides the very best child and youth education services, senior programming and life skills training
to the residents of the west side of Indianapolis. With more than six programs being available for students in preschool to
high school, the Christamore House serves a variety of people. The Christamore House will be working with the volunteers to
stress the importance of these programs are for the youth and the people of this community. Volunteers will be completely
creating the music room for the after school program by building shelves, taking off old wallpaper, painting and re-organizing
the area that lessons will take place in. Other maintenance around the building will also be done such as painting of the
basement, tending to the garden beds, laying down mulch in the playground and building shelves for different classrooms.
* All activities are labor intensive and will be outside unless there is lightning or severe weather. Participants are encouraged
to dress in layers to be prepared for the weather. Dress code guidelines: Old clothes, long pants and closed toe shoes (work
boots or old tennis shoes), jacket or sweatshirt encouraged. The site will provide jersey work gloves but feel free to bring your
own if you desire.
FFA makes a positive difference in the lives of students by developing their potential for premier leadership, personal growth and career success through
i l
l d
i
Downtown Indy Inc.
Monday, Oct. 17, 12:30-4:30 p.m. Delegates Only
40 Students per shift
Downtown Indy addresses critical issues that affect the growth, well-being and user-friendliness of the downtown area.
Downtown Indy operates to make downtown Indianapolis clean, beautiful, vibrant and safe. Volunteers will be coming
together to clean the gateways to Indianapolis to make it more welcoming to people that are on the highways. Volunteers
with pick up litter, clean up graffiti and beautify the entrance into the city. Other opportunities may include planting
flowering beds throughout the downtown area, right where the convention center is. Volunteers will learn the importance of
creating an appealing and safe environment for visitors in the Indianapolis community.
* All activities are labor intensive and will be outside unless there is lightning or severe weather. Participants are encouraged
to dress in layers to be prepared for the weather. Dress code guidelines: Old clothes, long pants and closed toe shoes (work
boots or old tennis shoes), jacket or sweatshirt encouraged. The site will provide jersey work gloves but feel free to bring your
own if you desire.
Gleaners Food Bank
Monday, Oct. 17, 12:30-4:30 p.m. Delegates Only
Thursday, Oct. 20, 8:30 a.m.-12:30 p.m. and 1-5 p.m.
Friday, Oct. 21, 8:30 a.m.-12:30 p.m. and 1-5 p.m.
120 students per shift
Gleaners Food Bank will allow students to learn and work in one of the largest food banks in Indianapolis, providing to more
than 250 food pantries, soup kitchens, emergency shelters and residential care centers. Some of the volunteer activities that
might take place include: a hunger awareness educational portion, a sorting section of the canned food items, a weekend
back pack program assembly line, senior food kits assembly line and disaster relief boxes preparation. Students will help
inspect, sort and pack food and grocery items to feed hungry Hoosiers.
*Closed toe shoes are required to be worn by all participants, additional waivers will need to be signed and brought to
registration
Growing Places Indy
Monday, Oct. 17, 12:30-4:30 p.m. Delegates Only
20 students per shift
Growing Places Indy encourages others to Grow Well, Eat Well and Live Well through urban agriculture, food access and
education, and yoga and meditation. Their programs include training emerging urban farmers while improving access to
fresh, local and affordable produce to the community. Volunteers will be working alongside the Growing Places Indy Team to
discover why urban agriculture serves a need in the Indianapolis community. Opportunities include learning about the
process of growing micro greens, working to clear planting beds, seeding/transplanting late fall crops, repairing compost
bins and moving a high tunnel. Volunteers will also learn more about healthy eating and the importance of it in a community.
* All activities are labor intensive and will be outside unless there is lightning or severe weather. Participants are encouraged
to dress in layers to be prepared for the weather. Dress code guidelines: Old clothes, long pants and closed toe shoes (work
boots or old tennis shoes), jacket or sweatshirt encouraged. The site will provide jersey work gloves but feel free to bring your
own if you desire.
FFA makes a positive difference in the lives of students by developing their potential for premier leadership, personal growth and career success through
i l
l d
i
Indiana State Fair Commission
Thursday, Oct .20, 8:30 a.m.-12:30 p.m. and 1-5 p.m.
Friday, Oct. 21, 8:30 a.m.-12:30 p.m. and 1-5 p.m.
40 students per shift
The Indiana State Fair Commission preserves and enhances the Indiana State Fairgrounds and the annual Indiana State Fair
for the benefit of all citizens of Indiana. Through diverse activities, the Indiana State Fair Commission delivers educational
fieldtrip programs to approximately 10,000 students annually, through the lens of agricultural education. Volunteers will be
teaching at ag related stations during on-site fieldtrip sessions in the morning sessions. Stations include animal
introductions, showing where food is produced and how agricultural touches everything. Projects also include painting
barns, working in flowerbeds and other maintenance that need to get done around the fairgrounds.
* All activities are labor intensive and will be outside unless there is lightning or severe weather. Participants are encouraged
to dress in layers to be prepared for the weather. Dress code guidelines: Old clothes, long pants and closed toe shoes (work
boots or old tennis shoes), jacket or sweatshirt encouraged. The site will provide jersey work gloves but feel free to bring your
own if you desire.
Indianapolis Cultural Trail, Inc.
Monday, Oct. 17, 12:30-4:30 p.m. Delegates Only
Thursday, Oct. 20, 8:30 a.m.-12:30 p.m. and 1-5 p.m.
40 students per shift
Indianapolis Cultural Trail, Inc. ensures that the Indianapolis Cultural Trail: A Legacy of Gene and Marilyn Glick is a
beautifully maintained and vibrant community asset connecting people and places in downtown Indianapolis. The trail
stretches eight miles of downtown Indianapolis and is also home to the Pacers BikeShare program. Education on the trail
and the effect of the trail will be done before getting to the trail. Volunteers will assist in maintenance and up keep of the trail
by picking up liter, removing graffiti, sweeping up the trail and raking the storm water planters along
a 2-mile section of the trail. BikeShares will also be cleaned up by repairing the stands and inflating bike tires if need be.
*All activities are labor intensive and will be outside unless there is lightning or severe weather. Participants are encouraged
to dress in layers to be prepared for the weather. Dress code guidelines: Old clothes, long pants and closed toe shoes (work
boots or old tennis shoes), jacket or sweatshirt encouraged. The site will provide jersey work gloves but feel free to bring your
own if you desire.
Indy Reads Books
Monday, Oct. 17, 12:30-4:30 p.m. Delegates Only
20 students for shift
Indy Reads Books funds a tutoring program to illiterate adults in Indianapolis by selling books at an affordable price.
Receiving over 500 books a day, Indy Reads Books volunteers will help organize and move books for a better shopping
environment for the customers. Volunteers will also have the opportunity to learn about Indianapolis literacy rates and how
their own communities could be affected by illiteracy. Book recommendations will also be made by the volunteers which will
be read by customers for years to come.
*Closed toe shoes are required to be worn by all participants
FFA makes a positive difference in the lives of students by developing their potential for premier leadership, personal growth and career success through
i l
l d
i
The Leukemia & Lymphoma Society
Monday, Oct. 17, 12:30-4:30 p.m. Delegates Only
40 students for shift
The Leukemia & Lymphoma Society (LlS) is the world’s largest voluntary health agency dedicated to blood cancers. LlS funds
lifesaving blood cancer research around the world and provides free information and support services. Volunteers will be
helping to recycle more than 5,000 lanterns that were used during the Light the Night Walk that serves as a major event in
the Indianapolis area. Other volunteers will be helping to improve the office environment by organizing boxes, hanging TVs
and other office work. Volunteers will also be learning about the Leukemia & Lymphoma Society and the Student Services
program which will go in depth on fundraising programs that can be used in their own communities.
*Closed toe shoes are required to be worn by all participants
MapleLawn Farmstead
Thursday, Oct. 20, 8:30 a.m.-12:30 p.m. and 1-5 p.m.
Friday, Oct 21, 8:30a.m.-12:30 p.m. and 1-5 p.m.
40 students per shift
MapleLawn Farmstead interprets the 1930s through interactive agricultural education experiences, which are easily
accessible to more than 100 schools in a 10-mile radius. The goal is to help future generations understand why farming is
important and to experience the effect of heritage preservation in our communities. Volunteers will work on restoration
activities such as fixing fences, painting indoors and outdoors, preparation of an installation of a parking lot, tending the
garden and green space and other maintenance around the farmstead.
*All activities are labor intensive and will be outside unless there is lightning or severe weather. Participants are encouraged
to dress in layers to be prepared for the weather. Dress code guidelines: Old clothes, long pants and closed toe shoes (work
boots or old tennis shoes), jacket or sweatshirt encouraged. The site will provide jersey work gloves but feel free to bring your
own if you desire.
Woodruff Place Civic League
Monday, Oct. 17, 12:30-4:30 p.m. Delegates Only
40 students per shift
The Woodruff Place Civic League is responsible for the operation and organization of the Woodruff neighborhood, which was
the first suburb of Indianapolis. The neighborhood is responsible for providing services all of which work toward providing
for safety measures, maintenance and the quality of life for its residents. Volunteers will be working in the Woodruff
Neighborhood side by side with some of its residents learning all about what the neighborhood provides to the community.
Opportunities include cleaning up a main street, repainting light posts, clearing out the garden and bush removal in the back
of the headquarters of the Woodruff Place Civic League and working on backyards of some houses. The project will beautify
the neighborhood, improve the infrastructure, and provide the first outdoor communal backyard for community residents.
* All activities are labor intensive and will be outside unless there is lightning or severe weather. Participants are encouraged
to dress in layers to be prepared for the weather. Dress code guidelines: Old clothes, long pants and closed toe shoes (work
boots or old tennis shoes), jacket or sweatshirt encouraged. The site will provide jersey work gloves but feel free to bring your
own if you desire.
FFA makes a positive difference in the lives of students by developing their potential for premier leadership, personal growth and career success through
i l
l d
i