Making Connections Indianapolis is part of a 10-year national initiative of the Annie E. Casey Foundation.  Its purpose is to help neighborhood residents improve outcomes for vulnerable children living in tough neighborhoods.  Making Connections Indianapolis believes that children do better when their families are strong, and families do better when they live in communities that help them to succeed. 

Based on national research and local practice, it works on three core principles essential to improving families’ lives:

• Creating opportunities to earn a decent living and build assets
• Building close ties with family, kin, neighbors, faith communities, and civic groups
• Helping children be healthy and prepared to succeed in school

Making Connections Indianapolis became a partner of CICF in 2007.

Making Connections Indianapolis will continue and expand upon lessons learned from programs pioneered locally in the Southeast and Martindale-Brightwood neighborhoods and nationally in nine other cities.  These programs have measurably increased the number of:

• Parents who are working, and working with better wages and benefits
• Families with savings accounts and other assets
• Children who are healthy and prepared to succeed in school
• Adults and youth who are civically engaged
• Families and neighborhoods with strong informal supports and networks

The organization is a partnership of local neighborhood and community leaders, the Annie E. Casey Foundation, and CICF.

For more information on the grants and technical assistance that Making Connections Indianapolis provides, contact:

Dori Sparks-Unsworth, Executive Director
Making Connections, Indianapolis, Inc.
846 N. Senate Ave., Suite 216
Indianapolis, IN 46202
317.632.4599
Dori@mcindy.org

More information will be posted throughout 2008 at www.mcindy.org.