Impact 100 Greater Indianapolis Announces 2013 $100,000 Grant Recipient: Tindley Collegiate Academy – Girls Middle School

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Contact: Sharon Smith, APR

317-506-7982 / ssmith@maverickpublicrelations.com

Facebook | Twitter @IMPACT100INDY | www.impact100indy.org

 

Impact 100 Greater Indianapolis Announces 2013 $100,000 Grant Recipient: Tindley Collegiate Academy – Girls Middle School

 

INDIANAPOLIS, Ind. (June 12, 2013) – Impact 100 Greater Indianapolis awarded $100,000 to Tindley Collegiate Academy Girls School at their annual dinner held June 11 at Courses Restaurant, Ivy Tech Community College.

This year’s $100,000 grant will fund the GET STEM (Science Technology Engineering and Mathematics) lab that provides middle-school girls with experiences that will inspire them toward careers in math and science. Opening in the Fall of 2013, TindleyCollegeAcademy will be Indiana’s first all-girls middle school. It will serve primarily an African American population in the Meadows – one of the most challenged neighborhoods in the city.

Tindley Collegiate Academy Girls School was named the 2013 Impact 100 Greater Indianapolis $100,000 grant winner on Tuesday. Pictured, left to right, are Dr. Dina Stephens, Chief Academic Officer, Marcus C. Robinson, CEO, and Kelli B. Marshall, Principal.

“Impact 100 is honored to support the GET STEM lab,” said Karen Kennelly, president of Impact 100. “It’s clear that our membership saw the value of providing a lab that inspires the next generation of female engineers and scientists by encouraging them to succeed in college – and in life.”

Founded in 2006, Impact 100 has granted $1.3 million to local non-profit organizations. The selection process began in January, 2013 with 53 grant applicants submitting letters of intent. Five Focus Area Committees then vetted one finalist in each focus area. TindelyCollegiateAcademy, a finalist in the Education Focus Area, was one of five organizations to make a formal presentation to the Impact 100 membership during the annual dinner. The other finalists included, RuthLillyEducationCenter: HOPE for Teens (Health & Wellness Focus Area); Reach for Youth: Teen Court (Family Focus Area); People for Urban Progress (Environment Focus Area) and The Oaks Academy: Fine Art Studio at Brookside (Arts & Culture Focus Area). The four remaining finalists each received unrestricted grants in the amount $5,250.

 

About Impact 100 Greater Indianapolis: Impact 100 Greater Indianapolis is a charitable women’s giving circle dedicated to awarding high impact grants to nonprofits in the community in the areas of arts & culture, education, environment, family, and health & wellness.  Annually, a minimum of 100 members each donate $1,000 to collectively make extraordinary gifts, $100,000 at a time, helping fund the growth of one local nonprofit each year. One hundred percent of member donations are returned to the community in the form of grants. In June, Impact 100 members each cast one vote to determine the nonprofit grant recipients for that year. An IRS-recognized 501(C)(3) charitable organization, Impact 100 Greater Indianapolis seeks to fund critical needs, new ventures, and innovative ways to solve social problems and to create a more civil and respectful climate in the community. Please join us in pooling our resources and experiencing The Power of Women Giving as One. Facebook | Twitter @IMPACT100INDY | www.impact100indy.org

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Indiana’s Business Women Connect launches in Indianapolis

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Contact: Sharon Smith, APR, for Business Women Connect

Maverick Public Relations

317.506.7982 / ssmith@maverickpublicrelations.com

@BusinessWomenCo | Twitter | Facebook | LinkedIn | Pinterest

Indiana’s Business Women Connect launches in Indianapolis

INDIANAPOLIS, Ind. (June, 2013) – Seventy percent of all new businesses in the U.S. are being created by women. With that stunning statistic in mind, Business Women Connect (BWC), an Indianapolis based organization that provides resources, education and connections that help women grow their business, has launched in Indianapolis, Ind. Founded and created in 2001 by Linda Rendleman, Business Women Connect has developed as an award-winning global networking site with online workshops, podcasts, webinars, featuring educational and networking meet-up events, led by BWC President, Shelly Aristizabal.

BWC Tele-Interviews which are both live and archived, are opportunities to listen in and actively participate in interviews with guests from across the globe to discuss issues and solutions on a variety of topics. This interactive learning opportunity is the cornerstone to the mission of Business Women Connect. Registration for the latest events can be accessed at www.BusinessWomenConnect.com.

BWC-Indianapolis Schedule of Events:

BWC – Indy Connect to Success – Be Branded

When: June 13, 14 & 15

Where: Eddie Merlot’s

3545 East 96th Street, Indianapolis, IN 46240

BWC Talk Radio with Host Amanda Fellows

When: Every Tuesday & Thursday, 12:00 – 12:30pm

(all shows are recorded)

How: http://www.blogtalkradio.com/businesswomenconnect.com

BWC Virtual Success LIVE Google+ Hangout

When: Every Thursday, 2:00 – 2:30pm

(all hangouts are recorded and will be uploaded to site)

How: http://www.BusinessWomenConnect.com

“Let’s face it, when you are an entrepreneur, business owner or self-employed, you are the CEO, CFO, COO, CMO of You, Inc.,” said Shelly. “BWC helps women take some of the guess work out of establishing and building their own business through relationship-building and education.”

A recently published author of her first book, This Is Your Year, Shelly’s passion for women entrepreneurs is palpable.  “Female entrepreneurs can differ from men, they typically go into business to positively impact their family, the community or even to make the world a better place.”

Business Women Connect has been recognized by the Indianapolis Business Journal the past seven consecutive years as the Largest Women’s Organization in the state of Indiana. The organization has created momentum in Indiana by helping hundreds of women grow and improve their businesses. BWC’s newly launched website at offers an innovative Membership/Referral platform. For more information on the services and programs available visit www.BusinessWomenConnect.com, email Shelly@BusinessWomenConnect.com  or call 239-777-3807.

What the World Needs Now: More Human. Kind.

By: Lauren Guidotti, Marketing and Events Manager at NUVO

Recently, there was a story in the local news about a middle school girl who committed suicide by hanging herself outside of the school on the bleachers. Without opening the article, I immediately assumed bullying was involved. Once I read the article, I saw the school district had stated, “There has been speculation about a connection to bullying, but at this early point in the investigation, there has been no indication of such a connection.”

After following up to see what had come from the case of the 14-year-old girl, I found an article confirming that bullying was absolutely involved. A friend of the young girl told the local TV station, “She was bullied and she didn’t deserve what she got. She didn’t deserve to have to go through that pain. The fact that she had to commit suicide to feel release…” And when I scrolled down to read comments, people were blaming the teachers, people the school, and others were saying the students who bullied her should be punished. But, once again, no one was talking about the learned behavior we get from our surroundings. No one wants to be held accountable.

A while back I found an interesting article from the Huffington Post. The article talked about how the media is “fat-shaming” Kim Kardashian during her pregnancy. I was thrilled to see someone tackling this subject, because I think about it all the time.

We spend time talking and developing anti-bullying campaigns. New laws and school rules are being passed trying to punish those who bully. But does anyone ever stop and look at how we as a society behave? Or how the media treats people?

We are surrounded by bullying. We now live in a digital age where we can publicly shame anyone and hide anonymously behind the curtain of the Internet. We do it with celebrities. We do it with politicians. We do it with media personalities. It’s in music lyrics. It’s everywhere.

Why aren’t we having the conversation about civility – how we speak to and about one another? Whether it be in person, on social media, in the comment section of a news article, etc. Why aren’t we thinking about how our words can impact someone? Go through a devastating article and see how many people start being negative and “bullying” either the person in the story, or the news station providing the coverage. It happens all the time.

What happened to the saying, “If you don’t have anything nice to say, don’t say anything at all” or “Treat people the way you wanted to be treated? Most of us were taught these mantras growing up. If bullying is to end, then we, as a society, must change.

The most important things you can do is stop bullying on the spot is to immediately intervene, stay calm, and model respectful behavior. Resources to learn more about prevention and awareness of risk factors and warning signs can be found at stopbullying.gov

http://www.stopbullying.gov/respond/be-more-than-a-bystander

To mediate reputable reporting, the Ethical Journalism Network is an excellent news media resource to help journalists and media manage messages and standards in the online age when stories are often rushed for publication and inevitable criticism.

Ethical Journalism Network:

http://www.ethicaljournalismnetwork.org/

How Slow is Your Food?

Written by: Chelsea Marburger

Events/Promotions Intern at Indianapolis City Market

Indianapolis City Market @IndyCM

We all know what fast food is but what about “slow food”? The slow food movement started back in the 80s when people realized that not only were people eating poorly, but interest in what we were putting into our bodies, where it was coming from, and how it was being prepared was at an all-time low. The slow food movement has gained major publicity in the U.S. due to a large increase in farmers markets, CSAs (Community Supported Agriculture), and pick-your-own operations. Fundamental to the slow food movement is the concept of “eco-gastronomy – a strong recognition of the relationship between plate and planet.”

The number of farmers markets has increased dramatically in the past 5-10 years; the 2006 count was 4,385 whereas the count in 2012 was 7,864. Farmers markets are a benefit to all those involved. The Original Farmers’ Market at City Market is in its 16^th season of providing fresh, locally- grown produce to downtown communities that wouldn’t have it otherwise. Farmers markets also allow farmers and producers to sell directly to their consumers which establishes better pricing systems for customers and higher sales for producers. Over the past couple of years, there has also been an increased effort by the USDA to push farmers markets to accept different types of government-funded programs such as SNAP (Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program) to encourage healthy eating habits and to change purchasing patterns of low-income individuals.

The popularity of CSAs has also spiked in recent years. CSAs live up to their name by creating a relationship between consumers and their locally-grown goods. Buyers interested in being part of a CSA purchase a subscription to a particular garden or farm and experience the successes and the pitfalls of farming in that they are provided only what the farm is able to produce. CSAs will typically specialize in a specific type of product as well. Indianapolis-based Big City Farms specializes in heirloom produce whereas near south side’s South Circle Farm produces vegetables, herbs, berries, and plants.

The “slow food” movement is gaining steam every season and every harvest. Families concerned with the health of their children, people recovering from illness, and just every day people wanting to stay fit and healthy are shopping locally to support their bodies and their local economies. In addition, the slow food movement provides for “clean” farming techniques, fair producer wages and a return to communal and convivial relationships to food and each other. For more information on the slow food movement, farmers markets, CSAs, and the organizations mentioned, please visit their websites listed below.

Indianapolis City Market @IndyCM: www.indycm.com

Big City Farm: www.bigcityfarmsindy.com

South Circle Farm: www.southcirclefarm.com

Three Best Practices for Content Marketing

These days, one of the most common strategies for building relationships and engagement with customers is content marketing. Content marketing establishes your company as a thought leader, gets customers involved (especially if they are sharing your content across their social media networks), and keeps you top of mind.

It’s no wonder that, according to the Custom Content Council, 55% of business-to-consumer (B2C) and 54% of business-to-business (B2B) brands plan to increase their content marketing budgets in 2013.

Content marketing involves the use of high-value articles, blogs, infographics, and other informational materials to establish you as a thought leader and “go to” source in your vertical market. Newsletters, postcards, email, and social media are all important channels for distributing content.

If you are going to invest in content marketing, there are three best practices to keep in mind:

1. Know your audience.
Content marketing isn’t about filling mailboxes with promotions focusing on your company’s needs and priorities. It’s about providing your readers with information that is important and interesting to them. Start by creating a basic profile of your target audience and knowing what makes them tick. If possible, segment your mailings so you can target the content by interests or other demographics.

2. Track where the recipient is along the buying cycle.
The typical buying cycle involves five stages: identifying a need, determining potential solutions, evaluating the available options, negotiating the purchase, and making the buy. If you know where the person is in the buying cycle, you can provide information appropriate for what they may be thinking about or need at the time they receive the communication. This isn’t about hitting them with overt marketing pitches, but providing valuable, appropriate information to help them move forward to the next stage.

3. Develop an editorial calendar.
Be purposeful about your content strategy. Don’t leave it to chance. Develop a plan for what you want to include in your blogs, social media, and mailings, and execute your plan strategically. Develop appropriate material in advance and release it on a timeline that provides the right content at the right time.

Need help with content marketing? Talk to us about helping you develop valuable, multi-touch, multi-channel solutions to help you engage your customers and stay top-of-mind.

Stonycreek Farm Nursery & Landscaping participates in the 55th Annual Indiana Flower & Patio Show

Step into Spring with Stonycreek Farm Nursery & Landscaping at the 55th Annual Indiana Flower & Patio Show as they participate in saluting springtime and 55 years of garden excellence Saturday, March 9 through Sunday, March 17 at the Indiana State Fairgrounds’ West Pavilion & Expo Hall. Stonycreek Farm will be among the 41 feature exhibitors who will each design and display a showcase garden at Indiana’s finer outdoor living show for gardening enthusiasts.

The theme of the 2013 Indiana Flower & Patio Show is “It’s Elemental!” exploring the 5 basic elements of nature:  earth, wood, metal, fire and water. Each designer will incorporate uses of these elements within their featured spaces and implement a conservation element, relevant to today’s living environments …to give Mother Earth the extra boost she needs to continue to thrive for many generations to come!

This year’s Stonycreek exhibitor garden will feature eco-friendly elements such as recycled materials and drought resistant plants and trees that can be incorporated into outdoor living spaces. With Indiana’s recent drought conditions, a self-sustaining drip watering system will be showcased for efficient landscaping. As a result of last summer’s drought, for the first time in 40 years, Stonycreek Farm germinated pumpkins in greenhouses in preparation for their 40^th Annual Pumpkin Harvest Festival in October. Thanks to a proactive germination program, the seedlings were then planted in the field and maintained with a water truck, providing a bountiful yield despite extreme drought conditions.

Stonycreek’s designers and key staff will be onsite throughout the show; attendees can register for home consultations, talk one-on-one with an expert and are encouraged to bring photos of challenging landscape areas. Tickets can be purchased at the door for $12 and children 12 and under are free. The show offers a Blow-Out Sale the final Sunday (5-6:30 p.m.) with great savings on plant materials, hardscapes, structures, decorative pieces and more. Event information including a coupon for $3 off admission to the show can be found at: http://hsishows.com/wp/indianaflowerandpatioshow/about-the-show/.

A Central Indiana springtime tradition, the Indiana Flower & Patio Show has been one of the nation’s most renowned outdoor living shows for over 50 years, with more than 100,000 guests attending each year. In addition to the feature exhibitor gardens crafted by many of Indiana’s premier landscapers, more than 400 finer outdoor living experts, displays encompassing the latest and greatest in landscaping trends, and dozens of educational programs will cover over 250,000 square feet of the State Fairgrounds’ West Pavilion & Expo Hall. Visitors come for the gardens, but stay to learn about, compare, and purchase premium outdoor living products and services with thousands of ideas to take home.

 

55th Annual Indiana Flower & Patio Show

Indiana State Fairgrounds, West Pavilion & Expo Hall

1202 E. 38th Street, Indianapolis, Indiana 46205

Saturday, March 9 through Sunday, March 17

Monday-Saturday: 10 a.m. – 9 p.m. & Sunday: 10 a.m. – 5 p.m.

 

About Stonycreek Farm Nursery & Landscaping:

What began as a small pumpkin patch in 1972 has grown into a full-service nursery and landscaping business. Named after the creek, which meanders through its property, Stonycreek was a Native American trade route in the 1860s and the site of an old gristmill. Steeped in great American history, still standing on the old farmstead are the original house, the bank barn, blacksmith shop and buggy barn. Stonycreek Farm Nursery & Landscaping is located two mile east of Noblesville at 11366 State Road 38 East, 46060. For more information, call (317) 773-3344 or visit www.stonycreekfarm.net.

Meals on Wheels of Hamilton County clients to receive meals from local dignitaries March 20th

Facebook  |  Twitter | www.mealsonwheelshc.org

Media Contact: Sharon Smith, APR

Maverick Public Relations

ssmith@maverickpublicrelations.com / 317.506.7982

PHOTO OPPORTUNITY – Please contact Sharon Smith to arrange for a photographer to accompany a driver/local dignitary on a delivery route on March 20^th (Mayors for Meals Day)  

Meals on Wheels of Hamilton County

March for Meals campaign

Local dignitaries to participate in

Mayors for Meals Day

HAMILTON COUNTY, Ind. (March 2013) –Meals on Wheels of Hamilton County will be among the many senior nutrition programs across the United States promoting “March for Meals/Mayors for Meals” in their communities.

March for Meals/Mayors for Meals is an annual campaign of the Meals on Wheels Association of America (MOWAA) designed to raise awareness of senior hunger, nutrition issues, and to encourage action at the local level. Mayors for Meals Day is an integral part of the annual March for Meals campaign. This year, on Wednesday, March 20, mayors and other local officials will show their support for Meals on Wheels of Hamilton County by delivering meals to senior clients and homebound residents.

Hamilton County dignitaries participating in this year’s Mayors for Meals day include:

John Ditslear, Mayor of Noblesville

Jim Brainard, Mayor of Carmel

Jim Ake, Westfield City Council President

John Weingardt, Fishers Town Council

Jerry Cook, Cicero Town Council President

John “Abe” Evans, Atlanta Town Council Member

Bill Cook, Arcadia Town Council President

Glen Bougher, Sheridan Town Council Member

“As recognizable and strong voices in the community, their participation in delivering meals helps gain much-needed visibility of senior hunger issues, donations, and awareness of our services and volunteer opportunities,” says Beth Gehlhausen, executive director of Meals on Wheels of Hamilton County. “We are truly thankful for the support of these community leaders.”

How to get involved:

In an effort to raise awareness and gain new clients and volunteers, Meals on Wheels of Hamilton County has launched new branding in 2013 with a fresh logo, website and social media (Facebook andTwitter @HCmealsonwheels). Enroll, volunteer or donate today by visiting www.mealsonwheelshc.org. Meals on Wheels of Hamilton County is a 501(c)(3) not-for-profit organization that provides meal delivery to elderly, disabled and homebound residents, regardless of age or income, reducing hunger, improving health and promoting independence. Unfortunately, not all of our clients have the resources to pay for their meals. Your generous support helps subsidize the cost of a nutritious meal and provide a friendly helping hand. Donations of any amount can be made online through our website and will instantly generate a tax-deductible receipt: http://www.mealsonwheelshc.org/donate/. Individuals, friends, families and local businesses have the opportunity to donate contributions through our Sponsor-A-Senior program and/or lend a helping hand to Adopt-A-Route delivering meals in a geographic area within your community.

Getting home-delivered meals is simple and easy. To apply, call us at (317) 776-7159 or submit an online application form athttp://www.mealsonwheelshc.org/services/#enrollment-for-services. What began as a community service project that delivered one meal to one person, Meals on Wheels of Hamilton County now serves 190+ clients on 17 routes, daily. Volunteers compassionately deliver more than 55,000 meals each year to clients in all eight communities of Hamilton County.

New Year, New Postal Rates

Direct mail is a powerful medium. A personalized mailer connected with a PURL speaks directly to your customer and drives strong response rates. Even with the new postal rates and regulations effective in January 2013, direct mail remains a flexible and inexpensive way to physically place your message in your customers’ hands.

Mailer for Stonycreek Farm Nursery & Landscaping (front)

Mailer for Stonycreek Farm Nursery & Landscaping (back)

Key changes may affect your direct mail campaigns.

• The single-piece postcard rate, which already increased by 3¢ in January 2012, will increase by an additional penny to 33¢.
• Automation discounts will be limited to letters, flats, postcards, Business Reply Mail and Permit Reply Mail with the Intelligent Mail barcode (IMb). The new barcode holds all routing, sorting and additional services in one place, freeing up valuable space on your envelope for your marketing message. Automated address correction will ensure that your material reaches the right recipient at the right time, improving response rates and increasing revenue.
• Self-mailers are subject to new requirements for size, paper weight, folding and tabbing. Failure to comply will result in a significant postage increase.

There are several steps you can take to control the impact of the postal changes.

• Merge and purge your mailing lists to ensure clean data. Target customers who will buy.
• Review your existing stock of printed materials for compliance with new regulations before your next mailing to avoid any surprises when you receive your postage bill.
• Reduce the size and/or weight of your direct mail package. For example, instead of mailing an 8 x 11″ piece at the “flats” rate, fold the piece to 5½ x 8½” to qualify for the lower letter rate.
• Creatively embrace the changes. Develop a multi-touch strategy by using the tracking function in the new IMb to trigger email blasts. Modify and test different formats that comply with the new regulations.
• Review the calendar of promotional events at www.usps.com to learn how you can save on postage throughout 2013 by integrating mail with mobile and emerging technologies.

If you have questions about how the new rates and regulations will impact your business, call or email us today. We can help you design your mail piece, choose the correct paper stock, and prepare your mailing to meet the revised standards and secure the lowest postage rates available.

Click here to view a comprehensive list of the new USPS rates. Additionally, click here for a PDF guide for the new folded self-mailer regulations.

Impact 100 Greater Indianapolis women’s giving circle

Impact 100 Greater Indianapolis is a charitable women’s giving circle dedicated to awarding high impact grants to nonprofits in our community in the areas of arts & culture, education, environment, family, and health & wellness. One hundred percent of member donations are returned to the community in the form of grants. Impact 100 Greater Indianapolis is a group of ordinary women, making extraordinary gifts, $100,000 at a time. Since 2006, this group of giving women has granted $1,179,000 to 25 non-profit organizations in greater Indianapolis. There is still time to be a 2013 member and be a part of this incredible process –however, the deadline is December 31. Visit www.impact100indy.org for more information and view this WISH-TV IndyStyle interview with Board President, Karen Kennelly: Impact 100 Greater Indianapolis

Click to view WISH-TV IndyStyle interview with Impact 100 Greater Indianapolis Board President, Karen Kennelly

indysmilesdentistry

Still looking for the perfect gift? Whether for a loved one, or yourself, Indy Smiles offers affordable solutions to help give the gift of happiness where it starts …your smile. Founded by Dr. Gary Llewellyn, DDS, in 1996, Indy Smiles uses state-of-the-art technologies, such as digital x-rays, Invisalign and now iTero, as part of its efforts to give patients a comfortable experience and the best outcome possible.

• Teeth whitening
• Invisalign
• Snap-On Smile
• Bridges
• Crowns
• Veneers
• Dentures

Tooth decay and loss of permanent teeth may be a natural part of life, but restoration can be costly. According to a new report released by the American Dental Association (ADA), fewer people today are scheduling dental visits since 2007 because of the challenging economy, changes to private dental insurance plans and reductions in public funding for dental programs. As a result of a limited budget, people are increasingly sacrificing regular dental visits to cover…

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