Volunteers’ confidence
in their power to create positive change has been the catalyst
that has driven countless neighbors to organize neighborhood
clean-ups. Volunteers also have affected legislation aimed
at making absentee landlords accountable for properly maintaining
properties in inner city neighborhoods. Likewise volunteers
have
forged a powerful partnership with Indianapolis Police Department
to birth the largest and strongest Weed and Seed Community
Policing initiative in the City of Indianapolis.
The power of volunteers’ confidence is key to NESCO success.
Successes began in 1970 when NESCO was created. Successes exploded
in 1971 when NESCO leaders identified the need for social services
such as a senior citizens’ center
for Near Eastside neighbors and the Near Eastside Multi-Service Center was
created.
Now known at the John H. Boner Community Center, our sister organization is part
of Community Centers of Indianapolis, a citywide social service network.
NESCO volunteers also identified community needs and acted as a catalyst for
the creation of other sister organizations—the former Eastside Community
Investments, the Near Eastside Community Federal Credit Union, People’s
Health Center.
And most recently—a task force of neighbors was created to address community
development needs for the NESCO neighborhoods following the closing of our
community development corporation last year.
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