Writer / Alison Gatz
November has a way of slowing us down. The leaves fall, the calendar fills with gatherings, and for a few weeks, we’re reminded to count what we have. In Fishers, that list is long: safe neighborhoods, strong schools, busy parks and neighbors who wave from the driveway. But much of what makes this city feel like home doesn’t happen by accident. It’s built, quietly and every day, by the nonprofits that serve our community and by the people who show up for them.
Think about where you’ve seen that support. Maybe it was a food pantry that stocked a neighbor’s shelves after a job loss, a youth program that partnered a kid with another caring adult, an animal shelter, a senior meal service or a group of volunteers cleaning up after the recent floods. These organizations fill gaps that no single family, business or government office can fill alone. They are the heart-led fibers of a growing city.
And Fishers is growing fast. Growth brings opportunity, but it also brings needs that are easy to miss behind new rooftops and packed schedules. Families are stretched. Seniors can feel isolated. Young people are carrying more pressure than many of us did at their age. The nonprofits working on these challenges depend on all of us to keep going.
GIVING BACK DOESN’T HAVE TO BE GRAND TO MATTER. HERE ARE A FEW WAYS TO START THIS SEASON:
• Give your time. Many local organizations need volunteers for a few hours a month, not a lifetime commitment. A great resource to find volunteer opportunities is volunteerfishers.com.
• Give with intention. A recurring gift, even a small one, helps nonprofits plan ahead instead of scrambling.
• Give your skills. Marketing, bookkeeping, carpentry, mentoring:
Your everyday expertise could be someone’s breakthrough.
• Give your voice. Share their events, attend their fundraisers and tell your friends why their work matters.
• Give together. Make service a family tradition or a team outing at work.
Something shifts when we give. We stop being people who simply live here and become neighbors who belong here. Anyone who has spent a Saturday sorting donations or serving a meal knows the benefit flows both ways.
This year, Giving Tuesday falls on Dec. 1, the perfect moment to turn gratitude into action. So as you gather around the table this Thanksgiving and count your blessings, count your neighbors, too. Find one organization whose work moves you and take one step toward it.
Need some inspiration? These are some great ideas to get started on your journey of giving.
VOLUNTEER WITH OUR LOCAL SCHOOLS!
Connect with a specific school to determine what needs it has that align with your ability and availability. There are so many ways to get involved with our schools, but here are a few ideas to get you started:
• Share your career with students on Career Day.
• Help in the office by organizing, running errands or making copies.
• Organize a supply drive for teachers and classrooms.
• Donate household goods and miscellaneous items for STEM projects, art projects or theater.
• Sign up to be a substitute teacher (this is a huge need for our schools).
COORDINATE A COLLECTION DRIVE!
Food pantries love donations! Check in with these local pantries to
see their latest needs:
• Township trustee offices
• Church pantries
• Hamilton County Food Pantry Master Directory by Good
Samaritan Network
• Hamco Love, which collects feminine hygiene products to donate
to schools
Clothing, shoe and accessory drives are a great way to encourage friends and neighbors to clean out their closets!
• Winter coats, hats and gloves for Good Samaritan Network or Kids Coats
• Women’s professional attire for Dress for Success
• Eyeglasses for Lions Club or Fishers Optimist Club
• Shoe drives for Changing Footprints
• Rehab equipment such as crutches, walkers, etc., for Good Samaritan Network’s REHAB Equipment Link
• Donate broken and unused holiday lights to local schools.
LOVE SERVING ALONGSIDE OTHERS?
Local service organizations would be a great place to start:
• Fishers Rotary Club
• Fishers Police Corp
• Fishers Fire Corp
• Fishers MultiFaith Community for Compassion
• Fishers Tri Kappa
• 100 Women Who Care Hamilton County
• Fishers Century Club
• Knights of Columbus
• Fifty Club of Fishers
• Kiwanis Club of Fishers
There are many ways to give back, whether through an organization or random daily acts of kindness. One of the pillars of our city is Vibrant. A vibrant community is one that is connected, resilient, healthy and inspiring. We can’t think of a better way than giving back to others to ensure Fishers is a vibrant community for us to call home.
