IndyBeck.com – Celebrating Community in Central Indiana

Social Bridges to Unleashed Opportunities

Every community has people who are struggling in different ways. Among them, consider these two groups: First, there are people of all ages who face varied challenges from physical and developmental disabilities, needing support for daily activities of living. In contrast, there are incarcerated individuals who have made mistakes and are looking for ways to serve their prison time productively, making a difference for someone else.

The intersection between these two groups of people is the place where Indiana Canine Assistant Network (ICAN) exists. ICAN trains and places assistance dogs with individuals with disabilities and provides foundational life skills to inmates through their experience as trainers.

ICAN President Jillian Ashton describes the unique relationship between ICAN clients and trainers: “Everyone views one another—not for the mistakes that they’ve made or their disabilities—but actually views them through the opportunity to help one another. It’s my favorite part of the organization, because at that moment, they’re just two people coming together to help each other out.”

Long before an ICAN dog is placed with a client, there’s an extensive training program to prepare the pup for a life of service. Through the coordinated efforts of inmate trainers and dedicated volunteers, each ICAN dog learns to stay focused in different situations, so they can reliably serve their client.

For 15 years, ICAN has been unlocking potential and changing lives through the training and pairing of service dogs to those living with disabilities.

When a client is matched with an ICAN dog in training, a structured transfer takes place during which clients spend time inside the prison, learning about their assigned dogs from the inmate trainers who know them best.

“We get a lot of support from the Department of Corrections to do this,” Ashton continued. “What it does for these inmates is that it humanizes them and gives them better relationships with their own families. Often, the dog in training acts as a social bridge between an inmate and his or her own family, inviting both sides to see the positive impact they’re making for someone else.”

ICAN, the only accredited service dog training program based in Indiana, has placed 200 assistance dogs since 2002 and currently has a waiting list of 88 people in need of a dog. Aside from assisting with tasks of everyday living, service dogs provide much-needed companionship and unconditional love for clients who may suffer feelings of isolation.

ICAN service dogs are matched with facilities and individuals with various physical and developmental challenges.

To fund continual growth of their programs, the agency relies on donations, sponsorships and fundraising events. ICAN’s largest annual fundraiser “Wine & Wags” is scheduled for October 8, 2020. This year’s virtual event, co-hosted by WTHR’s Chuck Lofton and Nicole Misencik, will be an online experience filled with inspiring testimonies and an introduction to ICAN’s newest litter of puppies. Registration is free; learn more at www.ICANdog.org.

In closing, ICAN President Jillian Ashton shared this additional tip about how we can help service dogs be more successful in their roles: “Service dogs are not pets. They’re dogs with a job, and they need to be really focused on the individual whom they’re serving.” So, if you see a service dog in public, it’s best to admire from afar and not distract him or her from the needs of their trusted client.

Here’s How You Can Help:

Register for ICAN’s upcoming “Wine & Wags” virtual fundraising event on October 8 and share the information with others in your social network.
Donate to ICAN’s ongoing programs to continue the work of training and placing service dogs in our community.
Volunteer with ICAN, serving as a Puppy Starter, Litter Sitter or Furlough volunteer.

Supporting Seniors through Care and Connection

American actress and singer Eartha Kitt once said, “Aging has a wonderful beauty, and we should respect that,” which is a sentiment shared by this week’s featured nonprofit organization: Shepherd’s Center of Hamilton County.

With a commitment to promote and support independent lifestyles, Shepherd’s Center is on-track to serve more than 2,000 senior adults in Hamilton County this year. Established locally in 1985, the agency specializes in connecting seniors with programs and services that enable them to live healthy, safe lives in their own homes.

Executive Director Lauren Guynn explains why the agency’s focus on seniors is a critical need in the area: “Hamilton County is a community that boasts a great quality of life for youth and families. We need to do the same for seniors. They’re going to be the largest portion of our population within the next 5-7 years, and we can’t ignore them. We have to provide the same level of care and concern that we do for youth and families.”

Shepherd’s Center of Hamilton County delivers on their mission through a variety of programs and services that address seniors’ varied needs. One such program is Together Today, which provides daily social activities that foster an ongoing sense of community and prevent feelings of isolation. Each weekday, participants aged 55+ gather at a scheduled location to participate in fun, social and educational activities.

Another vital program offered by Shepherd’s Center is Community Caring, through which volunteers are matched with seniors 55+ who are home-bound, feeling isolated or experiencing financial limitations. Volunteers conduct regular visits with seniors to assess their needs, sometimes staying connected by phone through the organization’s “Phone Pals” initiative.

Under the umbrella of Community Caring, volunteers are providing a wide array of services, including delivery of household/personal care supplies, transportation to and from appointments and coordination of home repair projects. Thanks to regular visitation and volunteer services like these, seniors can live independently and safely in their own homes.

Shepherd’s Center’s shopper shuttle is know as the “Happy Bus”

Additional programs offered by Shepherd’s Center include Reaching Resources, which facilitates connections to services and benefits for qualifying seniors, and Guardianship, a newly launched program through which the least restrictive legal recourse is sought to help a senior in need. When necessary, Shepherd’s Center can seek authority from the courts to intervene when a senior needs protection from unsafe conditions, ensuring that they can age with dignity and enjoy their final years of life.

An ongoing hurdle for many nonprofits in Hamilton County is the presumption of financial security among all residents. The reality faced by Shepherd’s Center is that 8.5% of Hamilton County senior adults are in the lowest income bracket, living on $16,000 or less each year. “There are aging people in our community in need,” said Executive Director Lauren Guynn. “So, while Hamilton County boasts the highest wealth in the state, we’re forgetting about the other half of our population. And that number is growing.”

In response to the Coronavirus, Shepherd’s Center has modified many of its programs to support the increased needs of senior adults during the crisis. The agency’s Together Today program is now being offered through video conferencing, which has proven to be a popular solution for daily social interaction. And through partnership with other service providers during COVID, the incidence of food insecurity among seniors has been greatly reduced by facilitating regular deliveries of food and household items.

During the COVID-19 crisis and beyond, we are thankful for the work of Shepherd’s Center of Hamilton County to ensure that older adults can age with dignity and maintain independence as long as safely possible.

Here’s how you can help:

Become a volunteer. Shepherd’s Center relies on hundreds of volunteers, whose skills and interests are matched with needs in our community. Volunteers can serve one time, weekly, monthly, quarterly or whatever time they can offer.
Donate household and personal care items for care packages. Individuals and groups can collect needed items and deliver them to seniors in need. Click here for a list of needed items.
Make a donation to support the ongoing work of Shepherd’s Center of Hamilton County. Your gift will enable more senior adults to live safe and independent lifestyles.

Stronger Families for a Healthy Community

Hoosiers can be a hearty, no-nonsense breed: If there’s a problem, we get busy fixing it. Indeed, there are countless organizations in Central Indiana that offer services to help with any challenge a person might face. But what happens when an individual’s problem threatens the well-being of an entire family unit? That’s where Families First can help.

Families First was established in 1835 as the Indiana Benevolent Society, with a mission to provide aid and assistance to indigent families in Indianapolis. While its name has changed during its 185 years of service to our community, Families First remains focused on helping people deal with the challenges and changes in their lives.

Gina Hays, Director of Communications and Development, shared this about the organization’s focus: “The name ‘Families First’ is intentional. We believe that, for individuals to reach their full potential and for communities to thrive, strong healthy families must come first.”

As the oldest non-sectarian, non-profit organization in the state, Families First is a trusted resource for crisis prevention and response in our community…one family at a time. Each year, the agency helps more than 20,000 people tackle challenges that are tough to face alone, like grief, substance use, domestic violence and mental health issues.

An ongoing challenge for the organization is a lack of public awareness of the importance of good mental health. For many of us, it’s too easy to judge others and the way they handle stressful situations. At Families First, staff and volunteers recognize that life’s experiences can affect a person’s ability to function at their highest potential, and that we don’t always have all the tools we need to be successful and happy in life.

“Think of it like a building project: For a building to be strong, it needs to have the right materials and a strong foundation. As it ages, it will require occasional maintenance,” said David Siler, President and CEO of Families First. “Similarly, human well-being is built and strengthened by materials like social relationships, good parenting, a sufficient income, community resources, and opportunities to thrive.”

Families First offers a broad array of programs, from anger management and addiction services to a 24/7 crisis and suicide intervention hotline. Aside from individual and group counseling—most of which is being offered virtually during COVID-19—the agency provides helpful information for families through its monthly blog and a podcast titled “The Family Table”.

For more than 20 years, Families First has hosted a “Salute to Families” breakfast, representing the agency’s biggest fundraiser. This annual event features national speakers and local public figures and typically raises critical funds needed to sustain programs. Because of pandemic-related limitations, this year’s event will switch from a single-day event to a two-week virtual campaign, beginning September 24. Stay tuned to the Families First website for more information about this giving opportunity.

Here’s How You Can Help:

Use your Kroger card or Amazon account to support Families First. When you designate Families First as the recipient, a percentage of your purchases will be automatically forwarded to the cause.
Volunteer to help with the crisis line, support groups, sexual assault response or fundraising. Sign up for an upcoming “no obligation” information session to learn more.