In 2008, the Community Service Committee decided to implement a monthly food drive for local food pantries on the east side of Indianapolis. The October 2008 monthly meeting was the first month for collecting cans. The organization can help fight hunger with the gracious donations by people in the neighborhood.

Community Heights started a Community Garden in 2009. The garden is located behind IPS School #88 located at 5801 E. 16th Street Indianapolis. IPS School system has given us permission to utilize the 4.21 acres of land behind the school for the Community Garden project. In 1937 the land was farmland with a small creek going through it, but in 1962 the school was built and the creek filled in leaving the lot behind empty. Click here to learn more.

The Eastside Story book is complete and available to the public. Community Heights would like to thank Professor Sue Hyatt, all the students involved, and IUPUI for a job well done on the book. The book is currently available at the Justus Homes corporate office. The book is not free as Justus Homes paid to have more printed, but it is a very nominal fee. Justus Homes is located at 1398 N. Shadeland Ave.

Book Information:

• Title: Eastside Story – Portrait of a Neighborhood on the Suburban Frontier
• ISBN: 13:978-1-934406-09-0
• UPC: 9781934406090

In 2008, Community Heights participated in the first neighborhood cleanup. Keep Indianapolis Beautiful (KIB) is a local Not-For Profit organization who helps run and fund neighborhood cleanups in the Indianapolis area. Neighborhoods are allowed to do two cleanups a year where KIB provides the dumpster, trash bags and gloves for the cleanup and the neighborhood provides the volunteers to help cleanup the community.

The award is an annual award and is presented to the recipient at the December meeting. The nominee must meet the following minimum criteria:

• The nominee must be a resident or business of the Community Heights Neighborhood Organization.
• The nominee may include an Officer or Board of Director of the Community Heights Neighborhood Organization. The individual must go over and above their elected duties as an Officer or Board of Director to be eligible.
• The nominee must have contributed to furthering one of the goals of the Community Heights Neighborhood Organization Mission Statement.

The organizational support committee will select the award winner. All nominations (See nomination form) must be submitted at or before the November meeting. If a member of the organizational support committee is nominated, they will not be able to participate in the selection of the winner.

Winners of the Good Neighbor Award shall receive, at a minimum, a Good Neighbor Award Plaque inscribed with their name and the year of the award (currently on display at the Steer-In restaurant) and one-year free membership. Award winners will also be listed on the website of the Community Heights Neighborhood Organization with the possibility of a press releases being sent to local print, radio and television media outlets. Additional prizes may be awarded to the winner.

Mail Nominations to:

Community Heights Neighborhood Organization
PO Box 19391
Indianapolis, IN 46219

Public Allies is a program new to Indianapolis this year that focuses on forming new leaders in community development and the non-profit sector. A team of nine Public Allies has been paired with the Community Heights neighborhood to help create and implement a sustainable neighborhood project based on your interests. This team would love to hear from you and build relationships with you as they get to know the neighborhood. If you have ideas for them, would like to meet them, or would just like to chat, please contact Team D.E.L.T.A. (Diverse Evolving Leaders, Together Achieving) at delta.allies@gmail.com.