ProAct Indy offers grants for MLK Day of service
INDIANAPOLIS (WISH) — Ahead of Martin Luther King Day of service, an Indianapolis organization is offering mini-grants to help community projects happen, with a focus on underserved youth.
ProAct Indy reprentatives said underserved youth are less likely to ever be involved in community service projects. Mainly because they aren’t typically asked to engage in them.
For 10 years, the organizaton has worked to change that.
Children are the focus at ProAct Indy.
“What started with 11 kids back in 2010. Last year, we served over 10,000 kids,” said founder Derrin Slack.
But behind ProAct Indy are the countless volunteers, community partners and founder Derrin Slack.
The organization helps partner underserved youth with community service projects. Slack said it wasn’t until college that he learned the value in giving back.
“I said, ‘What if I had this experience at a younger age? How would my life be different?’” Slack said. “Because there was nothing out there that targeted vulnerable kids or at-risk youth, engaging them and community service work.”
Ahead of Martin Luther King Jr. Day of service, ProAct Indy is being proactive to get more people out in the community by offering mini-grants.
“So 50 people, you get $150,” said Slack.
Applications are being accepted online now until Jan. 20. Selection will be quick, and the grants can be used to pay for anything a group might need to get their project done.
Typically ProAct works with partnering businesses, but this time, families, churches and other groups can qualify.
“These are typically kids who have nothing else to connect to because we want those kids in the margins, those kids who aren’t usually called upon to be leaders,” Slack said.
The organization promotes community all year long, but puts a special emphasis on MLK Day.
“The whole purpose of it really is to encourage the spirit and to amplify the voice of our youth and to amplify the spirit of MLK in the community.”
If you’re not quite ready to do a community service project or want to know how to get one going, ProAct Indy has a free community service course online that will walk you through what you need to know.