Plots to Plates Organic Community Garden is located on the grounds of Carmel Middle School. Not…read moregonna lie: I didn't know this existed until a couple of months ago when my 3rd grader had a field trip here and I was one of the parent helpers. I arrived at the garden and was like, "What the heck? I've been to this school multiple times and I never saw this entire garden ecosystem flourishing here?" But yeah, there's a community garden at the back of Carmel Middle School! So good. To get to the garden, use the entrance by the tennis courts and then drive all the way back to the woods. This community garden is used often in the spring for Carmel Clay school field trips, but it's also used by the community as a place to plant and harvest produce. According to the website, the space is intended for public gardening, education and community fellowship. You can apply for one of the 123 garden plots available to the general public and schools. Garden plots are 4 feet by 15 feet. There is usually a waitlist for these garden plots, but you can get on the waitlist by visiting the website. Spots usually open at the beginning of the year. This is a very tidy and nice community garden, and you can tell that the people who use it love it and take care of it. There's a designated space for compost, which is neat. There's also a small playground at the garden, which is nice for people who visit with children: the kids can play while and adult gardens.

This is part community garden, part art garden. In addition to the the plants and veggies, you will…read morefind some eclectic art I this garden. It is located along the Monon Trail and is directly behind the Union Brewing Company. It is not a very big garden, but has lots of personality. There are colorful painted bicycle hubs on the outside of the fence and lawn sculptures and other decorations on the inside. There are also a couple of picnic tables off to the side of the picnic table that are painted in bright colors as well. The garden was created in 2012 by local resident Andrew Fritz, after a doctor inquired about his diet following a serious bicycle accident. The garden is currently managed by Brandon and Sheri Leum. The garden's purpose is to grow and give away organically grown produce to the Carmel United Methodist Food Pantry, provide a space for planting, and to support ecological health. They also allow those in need to get whatever they want directly from the garden. So, in other words, I really love its mission. For $50 you can reserve a bed in the garden. But you must follow their guidelines and strict requirements. The main stipulation is that anyone can take from the garden. This garden serves as a community meeting spot where, the owners have claimed to have met people of all walks of life. There is ample free parking in the lot that belongs to the businesses in the strip mall that the garden is behind. I like this spot. It is kind of secluded and peaceful. I visited during the winter, so not much was growing, which is a shame. I hope to make it back when this place is in full bloom and has come to life. It is definitely worth checking out. As Fritz put it, "This is a spot where people can come and sit without having to pay for anything. They can simply sit and receive."

The Gleaning Garden is a community garden located in the middle of suburbia, a place not typically…read moreassociated with urban or community gardening. Specifically at the Monon Square Shopping Center Based on a combination of researching before creating this page online, as well as talking to the mildly intoxicated drunk dude who approached my girlfriend and I while we were browsing the garden, I found out a little bit of the purpose behind this garden. The Gleaning Garden is essentially a community garden started by a combination of residents and business owners who operate in the strip mall. The Garden area is owned by the strip mall. Some of the business owners actually use the garden either for home-use or to use within their restaurants, while others are just gardening for fun. The garden's main purpose is to help people experiencing food insecurity within Hamilton County. Anyone experiencing food insecurity is free to take what they want straight from the garden. The garden is also periodically harvested and donated to a church's food pantry. There are two garden entrance gates on the east and west ends of the garden. There is also a path leading to the garden from the strip mall, as well as a path through the small clump of trees that also lead to the garden. There are a few structures within the trails. The garden also features a few lawn ornaments which are...uh...unique. This is a quirky and fun community gathering spot in a suburb that really doesn't do that kind of thing often, so stop by next time you're on the Monon. Current also has a write-up about the Gleaning Garden: http://youarecurrent.com/2018/08/28/a-healthy-harvest-as-gleaning-garden-grows-so-does-its-ability-to-help-food-insecure/

Best volunteer experience I've had! Not only are they organized, they are efficient, and focused on…read moretheir mission to help as many people as possible. I had heard of Fletcher Place food pantry, but I didn't realize how much this location offers. Check it out: 1. Thrift store. People can come and shop around the store to score clothes, shoes, and household items for free. All clothes have been donated from the community and are sorted in the basement by volunteers. Clothing in the store is nice and any stained clothing is given to Salvation Army. Anything the Salvation Army can't use is given to a company in Canada that turns them into rags. Nothing is wasted and the thrift store staff says that their goal is for people to leave feeling better about themselves. That's why the store is so clean, organized, and friendly. 2. Preschool. There are two preschool classrooms for kids. Not only do they receive education, but teachers will pick out clothing from the thrift store for the children if they are not adequately dressed. Children then get to keep the clothes. There is also a large library that allows students to choose books from (to keep) each week. 3. Kitchen. The top floor has a large multi-purpose room that is often used for meals. Churches come in every day and donate food and cooking ability. No one is ever turned down from receiving food. An average of 120 people are fed every meal. The facility is super nice and always clean- but only with the help of volunteers. The building is also very secure and they always have plenty for volunteers to do. They also have an e-mail newsletter they send out about volunteer opportunities. *There is a big Christmas event in which you take families "shopping" throughout the building to get all necessities and Christmas presents. Very cool. They're looking for help* Check this place out if you've never been. They're doing great things!

This is where you bring donations. Don't take them to the chain donation drop off center where…read moreyour stuff is sold. Bring your clothes, blankets, shoes here, where they will be given away to people that really really need them. They also operate a free food pantry so you can bring food items for needy families. After donating a cart load of stuff, they gave me a receipt for tax purposes. On the way out I also noticed a community garden and produce stand that probably operates in the summer. My wife is a Girl Scout troop leader and they often come here to volunteer, sorting food items and helping to sort and display other donations.

This greenspace is located behind Cleo's Bodega Grocery and Café and in front of the Flanner House…read more This space was awarded by IPL as part of their Project GreenSpace program in 2018, in partnership with Keep Indianapolis Beautiful, Groundwork Indy and the Center of Wellness for Urban Women. Previously it was a vacant lot, that was transformed into the greenspace you see today. It has some information placards, some stone seating, and rectangular shaped garden space. There is also rock paved walkways and a garden pergola. Unfortunately, I visited during the cold months, so there were not plants or blooms. The greenspace was dead. I hope to return in the spring and see this place come to life. The space is intended to be a place where local residents can pick fruit, care for fruit trees, learn about nutrition, and participate in activities such as yoga and community parties. The greenspace has a huge parking lot that belongs to the Flanner House right behind it, so parking is not an issue. I recommend checking this place out during plant season. In addition to being a garden, it is somewhat a peaceful and soothing spot to just sit and chill. Even though it is located right off of a busy street.

This orchard and community garden is open to the public. People are free to gather the food that…read morethey need that grows from this garden, which makes me really happy. I love that the community cares for this garden, and the community is invited to enjoy its bounty. When I visited during the winter, the Flanner House Orchard was covered with snow and didn't have any fruit or vegetables growing. I'm looking forward to coming back to see what it looks like in the summer when things are blooming!

I'm honestly amazed I've never reviewed Arsenal Park. I live just east of SoBro, South Broad Ripple…read morefor the uninitiated, and drive by and/or visit Arsenal Park on a pretty regular basis. It's a 13-acre park smack dab in the middle of the SoBro area. This is a definite residential park with parking that's pretty interesting - it's essentially around the perimeter of the park. This is a very wooded park. It's actually a pretty heavily utilized park and there's very few times that I drive by here that I don't actually see people at the park. This park was purchased by the City of Indianapolis in 1928 (Fun fact: Original price was $19,915). It resulted from a desire for a park in the area east of what's known as Meridian Kessler. Early development came from such projects as the New Deal jobs programs and the Works Progress Administration in the 1930s. Arsenal Park offers a variety of activities including basketball courts, a bicycle polo course, a multipurpose field, a splash pad, playground, a shelter and a comfort station. Arsenal Park was purchased by the City of Indianapolis in 1928 following community interest in establishing a park in the area east of the Meridian Kessler neighborhood. Much of the early development of the 11-acre park was done through New Deal jobs programs like the Works Progress Administration in the 1930s. This park offers basketball courts, a bicycle polo course, a community garden, a multipurpose field, a splash pad, playground equipment, a shelter, and a comfort station. This seems to be a park that's always under some sort of development. There's a current master plan for the park and it's a beautiful setting that I don't feel like has ever lived up to its potential. Another fun fact: It's called Arsenal Park because it used to be on Arsenal Avenue (which became Indianola). At one point, it was also called Haverford Park. If you pay attention to this area, there's a Haverford baseball complex down the street. I tend to agree with most of the reviews here. I love this park. It's also great for those who geocache - there's more than one geocache in this park. It's not the most wheelchair friendly park and there's really not a walking path here. However, the playground is fairly accessible. Overall, this is a solid 4-star park that could easily be developed into a 5-star park with some love, attention, and vision. I typically do feel safe in this park, though the bike area can get a bit congested. It's surrounded by houses and pretty open concept.

This is a neat park. It is a bit older, dating back to 1928, but still has a lot of life left. It…read morewas originally named Haverford Park, after Haverford Avenue which borders it on its West side. The park is home to a garden. I believe it is one of those community gardens that are popping up all over the area. It has a table and chairs to sit and looks nice. The park seems well maintained and has adequate parking available. It spans 13 acres and spans a bit of everything. They have a skate park that has seen better days. It sits on what use to be old tennis courts. It looks like it was put together using items that were found laying around. It has rails, ramps, stairs and other pieces that I do not know the name of. It may be makeshift, but it works. There were people shredding (is that still the word) when I was there. The park also have a restroom facility and a couple of shelters with picnic tables under it and grills outside of them. There is also a very nice water park there. It seems relatively new. There are benches over there that are shaded by canopies where parents can sit and watch their littles play. The park also has a lot of green space that could be used for activities such as football, soccer, flying a kite, or having a picnic. The park's full basketball court has seen better days. It will do for those wanting to just throw up a few shots. The court could use a fresh coat of paint though. Of course the park has a playground. It is on a bed of wood chips and consists of a few pieces of older traditional equipment. It is not a very big area. Some of the equipment includes a bank of traditional/toddler swings, an accessible medium sized jungle gym with slides, and a spinning net climber. The splash pad makes this park a destination park for some. It is a nice traditional park that has a lot to offer.

Known as a pocket park with a purpose, this is a small park nestled away in the Hawthorne…read moreneighborhood. It is literally behind 2 houses. It dates back to 2013, and was created after receiving a Project Green Space Grant from KIB.You can find parking in front of one of the houses, but keep in mind that parking is only allows on one side of the street. It is a small art park, that use to be an abandoned lot that was full of illegally dumped trash and furniture and drug paraphernalia. The first thing that yo notice when you see the park is it's bright yellow 1964 Pontiac Bonneville sitting vertical. You will also find bench seating and a picnic table around the car and a fire pit with some stump seating around it as well. The fence is painted with a rainbow version of the city's skyline. In addition to serving as a place to display public art, the park serves as a place that local residents can garden. There are also some fruit trees there. You will also find this home to many species of local native vegetation. Events are hosted at the park throughout the year such as Art in the Park. So, outside of one of these special events, you probably will not spend a lot of time at this park. It is however, a nice place to see and has a wonderful backstory about a neighborhood coming together and doing something positive in their community. And plus you get to see some cool public art (for free) and it provides for some awesome photos.

This used to be an abandoned lot, and now it's a beautiful space for the community. You gotta love…read morethe great things that can happen when residents come together to make their neighborhood better. Purpose Park is a pocket park in the Hawthorne neighborhood. It's on a quiet, residential street, and you would probably drive right by it, except for the fact that there's a yellow 1964 Pontiac Bonneville planted right in the the ground at the entrance of the park. It's a photo op for sure, but also practical: The bottom of the car has been smoothed and is used as a projection screen for neighborhood movie nights. It's a small little park, but it serves the local residents by being a place to plant vegetables (there is a raised bed community garden here). There are also fruit trees and grape vines that surround the park. There's a casita that's used for community performances. There are wooden stumps that circle a fire pit that the neighbors use for summertime campfires. According to Purpose Park's Facebook page, this pocket park is a meeting area for community events, such as Easter egg hunts and other gatherings. I love pocket parks so much, and this little one is a great addition to Indianapolis' amazing community spaces.

Tear Down the Walls Ministries is one of Indy's hidden gems. For over 15 years, the organization…read morehas served the people of Indianapolis with a dedication to being the church in action for those in the inner city. Inspired by the work of John Perkins, they focus on Christian Community Development through a variety of ministries and community outreach programs. Outreach to the homeless includes case management (counseling, relationship building, help to find housing/employment/medical care/clothing), a lunch and Bible study ministry, street outreach, and remodeling of abandoned buildings to serve as housing. They have outreach to youth that includes youth leadership, VBS, after school programs, summer camp, youth service projects (which is how I initially became familiar with them), student mission trips, internships, and youth-focused events and block parties. Community development programs include "remodeling abandoned buildings in poor, under resourced neighborhoods of the inner city to be used for housing and ministry, Urban Farming projects transforming abandoned lots into beautiful Community Gardens, teaching others how to raise small animals and produce their own nutritious foods in the inner city and working with those in the community to promote community development and create jobs, leaders, and friends. Their current CCD focus is on King Commons a neighborhood on the near northwest side of Indy near Riverside. The children and youth that I know who've worked with them have loved the experience because it's filled with much love, compassion, and tangible service with concrete results. It's remarkable to me how few people actually know about the organization. They are fiscally responsible and steadfast in their work. If you're not familiar with the work of John M. Perkins, there are a myriad of books you could read but one of my favorites is "Let Justice Roll Down." Seriously, this is a wonderful organization and a great option for churches looking to involve their youth in the community right here in Indy.

From the owner: Tear Down the Walls Ministries practices Christian Community Development in under resourced…read moreneighborhoods through a variety of projects and programs. Our main focus is student ministries, leadership development, and homeless outreach programs and projects.