Fighting the root cause of poverty in Central Indiana
Four Years Ago
UNITE INDY Began Its Assault on Racism & Poverty
UNITE INDY's first effort was to publish an issues-based magazine on racism here. We called it "Building Race Relationships" because our goal then and now is to bring racial issues to the front of the line, to counteract distrust with trust, and to build real relationships between communities of different backgrounds and colors. We followed that with "Indy's Urban Employment Crisis." With the lowest unemployment ever recorded in the U.S., some mainly Black neighborhoods here still had unemployment rates over 20%. Poverty surrounded us.
We have partnered with ministries and churches, created a free web portal for them to receive goods and volunteers through UNITE INDY's web site, and now are zeroing in on the layers of joblessness and poverty in our urban core.
Much of entrenched urban poverty stems from what we learned putting together the employment crisis information--those who have been incarcerated cannot find jobs. Every year, 12,000 men and women are released here. With jobs for reentrants difficult if not impossible to find, they layer, year after year onto the jobless rolls, and into already poverty-stricken neighborhoods, causing rampant poverty in ever-larger areas of our city. Now, with UNITE INDY'S SecondChanceIndy.com web site, that offers up jobs to ex-offenders and our Jobs For Life training--a Biblically-based job preparation training course, we are moving forward.
We work with a small army of volunteer letter-writers, mentors, prayer warriors, leaders, and supporters to lift up our brothers and sisters who need help to forge a better, more independent life. When they are able to find good jobs their families can heal; the children have access to better diets and education; recidivism goes down; reconciliation is up, and lives are restored.
If you'd like to help or learn more, send us your information through our Contact Us page at UNITEINDY.org.
Indy Recorder Hosts Streaming Sessions on
Improving Financial Health Among African Americans
The first of six free Financial streaming events starts this Wednesday at 11:30-1:00 pm. Go to facebook.com/IndyRecorder to watch these live streamed events, aimed at elevating financial knowledge, and boosting income as viewers learn to wisely handle family finances. Each meeting will start at 11:30 a.m., all on Wednesdays on the following dates: Session #1 - February 17, #2 - February 24; Session #3 - March 10, #4 - March 24; Session #5 - April 14, #6 - April 28. 
Emil Ekiyor, founder and CEO of INNOPOWER and co-leader of this effort with Eddie Gill, said, "We are leveraging this platform to encourage the Most Vulnerable Population (MVP) to get in the game and compete for equitable ownership of a share of the American Dream of prosperity.” As UNITE INDY works to fight the root cause of poverty, we stand with the Indianapolis Recorder, INNOPOWER, and their sponsors in urging everyone to take part.
New Gun Violence Reduction Strategy Following Record 215 Homicides in 2020
Shonna Majors (pictured), Director of Indianapolis' Community Violence Reduction, addressed the Race and Cultural Relations Leadership Network of which UNITE INDY is a member.
In an effort to counter rising criminal homicides here, Majors has expanded her staff, which now includes three individuals with criminal records, giving them better street credibility to deal with those wary of police and others in authority.
Here's an overview of the new plan: The Office of Public Health and Safety has adopted a gun violence reduction strategy (GVRS) to address root causes, treat trauma, and reduce gun violence here. The strategy covers the components of prevention, intervention, interruption, healing, living, and success. Prevention will begin at the early stages and address culture, norms, and attitudes. Intervention may include Community Safety Meetings that will join law enforcement, community, clergy and interventionists to assess actions that may need to be addressed. Interruption will occur when there are "violence cycles" using "credible messengers" to break the cycles. Healing can take place through informed care and behavior modification made available to transform those affected by violence. For more on the plan check out this report from WISH TV8.
Christian Marchers To Gather at the Circle in the name of Christ
Pastors and believers from across the state will be gathering in downtown Indianapolis on March 21st to walk in prayer and to worship on Monument Circle. We're ALL invited to be at the starting line of this movement!
March For a Million has only one agenda following a year of excruciating emptiness.... To provide Hope in Jesus Christ!
How Valuable is a life?
We, at UNITE INDY are in the midst of our first Jobs For Life class, attended by those who have been released from incarceration and are jobless, looking for employment. This class happens to be men, who each had the chance the other night to tell their story...why they were there, how they had changed, and what they wanted for the rest of their lives. Our volunteers are walking one-on-one with them, sharing their dreams and tears. It is a process. With this training comes more enthusiasm from employers--jobs are flowing into our jobs site, for reentrants, SecondChanceIndy.com. Lives are being changed, families reunited, recidivism curtailed. A life? Like the Starfish Story, every one is worth all this and more. Read Nancy's Blog
Why Support UNITE INDY?
UNITE INDY fights the root cause of poverty, which impacts many of the other major problems we face in our city.
In addition to a major effort to work with the 12,000 inmates reentering our area after incarceration (above) we are working to improve employment in our poorest neighborhoods.



How You Can Support Jobs for Justice- Involved Individuals
  1. Volunteer to be a Champion (mentor).
  2. Volunteer to be a Prayer Team Leader.
  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.

Support of Ministries and Charities:
Since 2017 UNITE INDY has provided a free web-based system at UNITEINDY.org that connects churches, their time or gifts of money 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 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 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 send a check today to UNITE INDY, 241 W. 38th Street, Indianapolis, IN 46208. Or donate via credit card by clicking Here. It is 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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