INDIANAPOLIS — Flanner House has served Indianapolis’ northwest side for nearly 130 years, and its programs now include a grocery store, a farm, a mental health clinic, early childhood education and workforce support.
Indianapolis Foundation President and CEO Ahmed Young appeared on WISH-TV to discuss the organization and the foundation’s recent grants to youth-serving nonprofits. More than 400 community members attended the Indianapolis Foundation’s 110th anniversary celebration last week, where the foundation awarded $200,000 grants to five organizations, Young said.
The recipients were Evolve International, Indy Arts Council, Big Brothers Big Sisters of Central Indiana, Junior Achievement and a fifth organization. The interview transcript names only four recipients, although Young says the foundation awarded grants to five. The grants total $1 million and support organizations serving young people, he said.
“The goal is to make sure they’re able to serve young people really, really well,” Young said.
Young said Flanner House has changed over the years and now works in areas including workforce development, food insecurity, housing and economic development. Under the leadership of Dr. Brandon Cosby, the organization serves the broader community, he said.
Flanner House operates Cleo’s Grocery and Bodega, which includes a cafe and grocery store. Anyone can stop in, whether they live in the neighborhood or are passing along Martin Luther King Jr. Street, Young said.
“They can stop at Cleo’s Bodega, get a great matcha latte, as my daughter would love,” he said. The cafe also serves coffee, while the grocery store offers fresh produce, he said. Flanner House’s farm grows produce in the neighborhood.
The organization also runs a bookstore that sells books and hosts community events, Young said. Its early childhood center serves children from birth through age 3 and helps lay the foundation for their education, he said.
The Center for Working Families provides adults with education and wraparound services to help them pursue career goals. Young described the program as an extension of Flanner House’s services.
Young encouraged people to visit Flanner House and learn about its programs. The organization also operates Morningstar, a culturally aware mental health service provider that is expanding its work, he said.
“First off, I would say stop right at Flanner House, visit them,” Young said. “They’re the most welcoming, joyful environment that you can go to.” He also encouraged people to visit the organization’s website to learn about its services.
Young said he plans to return to WISH-TV in a few weeks to discuss another organization.
