Hi, Indy! We’re Seeds of Caring and we’re so happy to be here!
We are rooted in kindness in Columbus, OH and thanks to six years of homegrown change-making and support, we are branching out to our first expansion city—that’s you! We cannot wait to get to know a fellow Midwest hub of kind kids and caring grown-ups and work together to create a kinder, more connected world. Let's dig in.
Volunteer as a family or group—any time, anywhere! We’ll provide you with guided learning discussion and activity instructions needed to help your kids better understand critical challenges in their community and gain confidence that they can make a difference. The majority of our projects in Indianapolis will be Anywhere Projects to allow for maximum participation and maximum impact. We’ll be adding additional projects each month so please keep an eye out for new topics and themes! Wondering how Anywhere Projects work? Check out this video !
Volunteer as a family or group—any time, anywhere! We’ll provide you with guided learning discussion and activity instructions needed to help your kids better understand critical challenges in their community and gain confidence that they can make a difference. The majority of our projects in Indianapolis will be Anywhere Projects to allow for maximum participation and maximum impact. We’ll be adding additional projects each month so please keep an eye out for new topics and themes! Wondering how Anywhere Projects work? Check out this video !
Our In Person Martin Luther King Jr. Day of Service event will gather families together at the Madam Walker Legacy Center on Monday, January 15, 2024 to learn about community needs and take action in honor of MLK. Sign up below for either the morning or afternoon time period and make it a day on, and not a day off.
Learn MoreAre you ready to help us launch even more kindness into Indy? Here are 3 things you can do right now!
Get the latest and greatest for all things Indy-related by receiving our newsletter.
We have a fantastic team of grown-up volunteers who help us coordinate our kid-focused service opportunities in Indy. Could you help ensure kids have service opportunities designed just for them? If so, please check back in the spring of 2024 when we expect to re-open applications for our Ambassador program.
Shout it from the rooftops that kid-focused service, social action, and community-building programs are now available. Share this webpage on social media, within your parent groups, with your colleagues, and more!
If you're an Indy-based nonprofit and would like to explore how we can partner, reach out to indy@seedsofcaring.org
If you're an Indy-based corporation and would like to explore how we can partner, reach out to indy@seedsofcaring.org
Our Anywhere Projects are generally designed for kids ages 2-12. Check the age icon in the event image to find the right Anywhere Project for your family or group. You know your children best, so feel free to use your judgment about what type of project will be a good fit for your group or family.
We’re glad you asked! We know some older kids love to lead Anywhere Projects for their younger siblings, friends, and neighbors. Kids ages 15 and older can also sign up as Ambassadors to help us behind the scenes.
Very! Whether parents, teachers, or group leaders—caring grown-ups are the key to making a Seeds of Caring Anywhere Project successful. Grown-ups will be provided a service packet with an easy-to-use discussion guide upon registration and are invited to take a few moments to review it before utilizing these meaning-making resources with your children.
We aren’t sure just yet. We were founded in Columbus, Ohio, and are new to Indy, so please stay tuned to watch us grow.
Registration is always free for our Anywhere Projects, but families/groups need to source their own supplies according to the supply list in the service packet. We work with our partners to find affordable yet meaningful ways to engage kids in meeting real community needs. Check the supply fee icon in the event image to find out if a cost is associated with a project. Projects marked as “FREE” generally just require paper and crayons/markers/pens to complete.
We ask that all families and groups register individually for our projects. It’s important for us to have an accurate count as we need to ensure specific donation quantities as requested by partnering nonprofits for Anywhere Projects. Plus, when you take the time to register, you’ll gain access to our signature service packets for Anywhere Projects.
When you register for one of our Anywhere Projects, you will receive a Seeds of Caring service packet as a PDF link in your confirmation email. This includes project instructions, guided discussions, drop off details, templates, and more. The service packet will also be sent in reminder emails leading up to project completion. If, for some reason, you cannot access or locate your service packet, email us at indy@seedsofcaring.org
Volunteer participation is critical. Please cancel your registration with as much lead time as possible. To cancel your registration, either email us at indy@seedsofcaring.org or follow these steps: log in to your Eventbrite account; hover over your name and click on "Tickets;" select the ticket for the project you wish to cancel; click "cancel order."
Because so many families and groups want to volunteer, we occasionally need to close a project due to capacity. New service opportunities are posted on the 1st of each month.
Yes! All of our Anywhere Projects are open to group/class/team participation, and we welcome you to get as many youth involved in these projects as you'd like! You provide the supplies, we provide the direction and education. Just find a topic and date that works for you and register your group! Anywhere Projects that are especially low-cost and group-friendly are designated with a green group-friendly icon in the main event image and are highlighted in our monthly newsletter. When you register, you’ll be asked to estimate how many kids will be participating. You can also email us at indy@seedsofcaring.org if you want tips or have questions about executing an Anywhere Project for a large group of kids.
A Special Note for Planners: We generally release group-friendly Anywhere Projects three months in advance.
No, but we ask that you cancel if you cannot participate.
Oh, we love this question! First of all, we suggest talking with your child before and/or after the project about why you chose to participate, what volunteering/community engagement means to you, and the community need the project is impacting. We’ll provide lots of resources to help you do this! We also suggest turning the lead over to your children: empower them to be a part of deciding which project to register for, let them select items that will be donated, and allow them to take the lead on completing all activities and crafts (even if it takes a little longer!).
We will provide you with lots of specific resources to help guide your family or group's discussion via our service packet, included as a PDF link in your confirmation and reminder emails. These packets will include videos, story read-alouds, discussion questions, and more. We’ll also include a list of extension activities so that you can continue the conversation and reflection long after project completion.
While all of our programming is designed specifically to empower our youngest citizens to take action, we rely on lots of caring grown-up volunteers to make this work possible. We are always in need of porch drop locations, assistance with community outreach, funding development, photography, administrative tasks, and more. To learn more about helping us behind the scenes as an Ambassador, please visit this page.
Q: How long does an Anywhere Project take?
A: 60-90min
Q: Where can I complete an Anywhere Project?
A: ANYWHERE! For example, at home, your school gymnasium, the basement of a synagogue, library meeting room, the sky’s the limit!
Q: How do I know what to do?
A: You'll be emailed a service packet when you register
Q: How much do Anywhere Projects cost?
A: Registration is always free, but supply cost varies by project.
Q: What exactly does the group friendly icon mean?
A: Projects marked with the green group friendly icon are particularly well-suited for larger groups of kids and have a supply cost of less than $5 per child.
Q: What supplies do I need?
A: It depends on the project! Sometimes, you’ll need nothing more than paper and markers. Other times you'll need sandwich supplies, beads, glue, etc. The emailed service packet includes a detailed supply list.
Q: What’s included in an Anywhere Project?
A: Each Anywhere Project always includes: an education component, scripted empathetic discussion questions, and a hands-on service project.
Q: Why do I need to drop off my donations on certain dates and times?
A: Our nonprofit partners count on your donations for specific needs/events, and our friendly volunteer Ambassadors loan us their porches to collect donations for a specified time period.
Q: Where do I drop off my donations?
A: The service packet you received provides possible drop off locations on the first page. You can pick the location that’s most convenient for you. (Occasionally, we offer a mail-in option for projects too).
Want to dive deeper? Check out a more detailed video about how Anywhere Projects work here
We are currently seeking corporate sponsors and would love to speak with you if you know of a company that seeks to empower the youngest generation to create a kinder, more connected community. We can also provide a custom volunteer event for families of employees at your workplace. Contact us at indy@seedsofcaring.org to chat about it.
We're working on it! Seeds of Caring has the bold goal to become the leading national nonprofit for youth service and volunteerism but we can't get there without the infrastructure necessary for successful expansion. And for that, we need funding from generous donors who agree that a kinder, more connected world IS possible with our kids in the driver's seat. Want to help? Email brandy@seedsofcaring.org.