2010-11 Program Activities Outcomes
The Mt. Carmel Community Life Center (MCCLC) is a tax exempt not-for-profit organization with 501(c) 3 status. MCCLC has partnered with the Indianapolis Far Eastside Weed and Seed and the Indianapolis Metropolitan Police Department (IMPD) and various other organizations in order to prevent drug usage and violence on the Far Eastside. We have selected a three pronged approach which encompasses prevention and education, alternatives to drugs and violence, as well as service learning and leadership opportunities. Our community is faced with limited resources and opportunities which discourages youth participation and enrichment. The lack of positive educational and recreational opportunities contribute to an at risk environment. MCCLC is the only not-for-profit recreation facility on the far eastside of Indianapolis to provide year round positive afterschool activities and organized youth sports geared primarily toward underserved youth in this community. Our services are available for youth to participate afterschool, during the summer and during other non school hours. Though there are some recreational programs and afterschool programs that exist within Indianapolis Far Eastside community and Lawrence, most of them are inaccessible to the youth that we serve due to either transportation and/or cost.
This fiscal year MCCLC has serviced 1150 youth. The overall crime in our service area has decreased by 2.77% in 2010 from the previous year. Reported crimes in 2010 showed a decrease in aggravated assault, non residential burglaries, larceny, robberies and stolen vehicles[2]. All of which are crimes that are commonly committed by youth. Though no one organization can take full credit for this reduction of crime, we can attribute this reduction to the collaboration of the community partners alongside IMPD to develop programs that are designed to help prevent and reduce crime in our community. These partnerships exemplifies the constructive engagement between community organizations and public safety practitioners and their ability to impact a neighborhood’s well-being by its commitment to educate youth of the dangers of drugs and violence while also offering them a positive alternative programming that is easily accessible to them and affordable.
Program Initiatives
Health and Wellness
Last year our focus for the Community Life Center has been health and fitness, encouraging families to be proactive and take control of their lives by staying fit, being informed and eating healthy. Throughout the year we participated in different health screenings, walks and health fairs to promote healthy living. In February 2011 Mt. Carmel hosted a Life Line Blood Screening where nurse practitioners screened for cardiovascular diseases, blood pressure and osteoporosis. In April we formed a team of 75 supporters and survivors to participate in the Race for Cure. Last, as part of our community fair we ended the fiscal year with a health fair that provided free health screenings including HIV and STD testing as well as free sports physicals for youth. We had 150 people to participate in this year’s health fair.
Sports and Recreation
MCCLC has partnered with IPS and Tab Recreation to provide organized sports and recreation such as basketball, baseball, cheer, softball, soccer, flag football and contact football at a rate that is affordable to the youth in our community here at Mt. Carmel which is located within walking distance of the target area that we serve. IPS provides league training to our staff and coaches for our sports programs. They have embraced our league as a feeder system for the athletics of the public school in our area. They also help to provide coaches when needed to ensure that our youth are equipped with the fundamentals and sportsmanship needed to be successful in the sport and in life.
Crime Prevention
MCCLC has partnered with Weed and Seed and IMPD in our effort to reduce crime. MCCLC works with IMPD to develop programs that will engage youth during non school hours when youth crime is at its peak and gives them the information needed to edcuate them on the risks of being involved in criminal activities or drug use. IMPD supports our efforts by holding community police training and crime watch meeting at our facility and by being present out our community and youth events. We are also bring Officer Friendly back into the community. Officer Friendly will be visiting our youth programs and partnering schools to foster trust and build relationships between the law enforcement and our youth. They are committed to helping improve the relationship with the youth in our community.
Education
Education has been a primary focus for MCCLC this year as well. We have developed some key partnerships with IPS Adult Education to provide GED, and ESL (English as a Second Language) here at Mt Carmel. These classes have proven very successful and vital to our community as the residents take charge of their lives by getting the education they need to gain meaningful lasting employment.
We have also partnered with Ivy Tech and IPS to develop the Step It Up program. This program is currently being run out of Emmanual High School and Northwest Highschool as a pilot program funded by the Deparment of Education to help prepare underserved high school students for college. MCCLC has joined this initiative by providing professional volunteers and mentors to work alongside the College Readiness staff to help encourage students to go to college.
These are just a few of the initiatives that we have emabarked upon this year. MCCLC is working on a wholistic approach to bring postive change to our community. We hope that you will continue to support our efforts by providing us with the start that we need to be successful for years to come.
