Elevate’s mission is built on the belief that no one gets there alone. Our city’s young people need the support of a loving community to empower and guide them in their pursuit of upward mobility.
Luckily, Elevate isn’t doing it alone, either. We are blessed to partner with several incredible organizations who help us open doors to success for our students.
Shepherd Community Center is one such organization.
"People partner, not organizations…through our various relationships, we have worked to help better serve [our] students."
- Jay Heigth, Executive Director, Shepherd Community Center
Since 1985, Shepherd Community Center has been committed to breaking the cycle of poverty by increasing access to life-saving resources. Programs like Education To Employment and Shepherd Community Academy offer academic support to students at every age, while their addiction care services and food access resources offer physical and emotional support to adults and families on the Near Eastside.
But like Elevate, Shepherd Community Center doesn’t aim to simply solve a one-time problem. Rather, each of their programs aim to build a foundation of meaningful relationships with those they serve so they can help guide and empower their neighbors “from cradle to career - and beyond.”
“Shepherd Community has a rich history of serving the Near Eastside and beyond in thoughtful and transformative ways. Personally, Jay has been a major influence in my life as a mentor and model to follow as a servant-leader. Our ongoing collaboration to be better together serving the next generation stems from a deep respect that the Elevate team and I have for Shepherd."
-Aaron Story, President & CEO of Elevate Indianapolis
At Elevate, we know that the nonprofit community must work together to create lasting change, rather than competing for already scarce resources. That’s why we are proud to join forces with Shepherd Community to invest our combined time, talent, and resources in the lifelong wellbeing of even more students.
During our partnership, we have shared staff members, transportation, field trips and engagement opportunities, and most importantly, a desire to see the youth of our city thrive. Through our shared work at Arsenal Technical High School and Purdue Polytechnic High School, we meet students where they are and ensure that they have access to the resources they need to achieve upward economic mobility.
To our friends at Shepherd Community, and the rest of our community and corporate partners, thank you for sharing our passion for serving Near Eastside students and helping us empower them to thrive.
"All these issues are bigger than any one organization, but together we have an exponential impact.”
-Jay Heigth
Do you want to engage more deeply with Elevate Indy? Consider becoming a community or corporate partner. Whether you are hosting a vision trip, volunteering at an event, or making an in-kind donation, your presence shows our students that you believe in their success.
Tap here to learn how you can become a community or corporate partner today.
