John H. Boner Community Center

History

In 1971, the Near Eastside Community Organization (the umbrella organization for 21 neighborhood organizations) approached the City of Indianapolis to open a multi-service center to serve the needs of the residents of the community. With limited funding from federal revenue sharing and the support of the local Community Action Against Poverty (CAAP) agency, the Near Eastside Multi-Service Center was formed on October 1, 1971. Literally started with a folding table, a few chairs and one phone line, the Center has grown into the largest community center in Indianapolis. With Dick Moore as the founding Executive Director and John Boner serving as the Deputy Director, the Center established the first two programs: emergency assistance to residents in crisis and a senior socialization program. On January 1, 1973 the Center became a separate corporation from CAAP and continued to expand programs. These services included a handyman program, employment counseling, an annual Christmas project, a clothing closet, homeowner repairs, a Montessori child development center and youth development programs. The Center also reached out to other organizations to provide services on site including the juvenile justice system, welfare department, Girl Scouts, Legal Aid Society, Family Services Association and the Indiana Prevention of Blindness Association.

 

In 1979, the Center became a United Way agency and the following year New Life Manor Apartments was opened. New Life Manor Apartments provides 48 units of HUD subsidized housing for seniors and those with mobility impairments. In 1985, Elder Alternative Adult Day Care opened to provide care to health and/or memory impaired adults in the community. In the late 1980’s the Center also established an addiction counseling program and residential treatment Center for youth that was later spun off as a separate organization now known as Community Addiction Services of Indiana.

 

When the long-time executive director, John Boner, died in 1994 the Center’s name was changed to the John H. Boner Community Center in his honor. The 1990’s saw significant program expansion including:

·    Stopover (1991)– A crisis intervention program for at-risk youth

·    Home Instruction Program for Parents of Pre-school Youngsters or HIPPY (1994)– A home-based early childhood development program

·     Career Corner (1996) – A workforce development program founded in partnership with Goodwill Industries of Central Indiana

·     Financial Foundations (1997) – Provides Individual Development Accounts and money management training to community residents

·     Family Transitional Housing Program (1999) – A transitional housing program for homeless families that leads to permanent employment and housing

·     Continuum of Care Housing Programs (2001) – With the closing of the local community development corporation, the Center now oversees 169 units of housing that serve homeless individuals, those with chronic mental illness, homeless families, seniors and those with mobility impairments

·     Brookside Enrichment Academy (2003) – Provides educational services to after-school children from Indianapolis Public School # 54 to promote academic achievement for students

 

Since its onset, the John H. Boner Community Center has responded creatively with expanding services for children, adults and families in the neighborhood. Since 1998, the Center’s annual budget has grown from $1.4 million to nearly $3 million per year. Despite the growth in services, the Center has been unable to add significant space and has not had the opportunity to realign new services with a facility that supports the goal of holistic services to those served by not only the Center, but also partnering organizations.