Best non-profit organizations in Indianapolis: find options near you

I volunteered at Second Helpings as part of a community service requirement for my college degree, and it turned out to be a truly rewarding experience. The staff and fellow volunteers were all incredibly welcoming, you could genuinely feel that everyone was there because they cared and wanted to make a difference. From day one, the staff treated us new volunteers with warmth and respect, which made the experience even more enjoyable.

If I weren’t so tied up with school and other commitments, I’d absolutely continue volunteering there. What Second Helpings is doing for the community is truly inspiring, and I highly recommend checking it out for yourself. If you have some free time and want to give back while connecting with kind, like-minded people, this is the perfect place to do it.

The basic idea is to gather food that is in danger of spoiling or going to waste; train chefs and food service professionals to prepare and cook that food, while at the same time they gain experience; and then deliver that prepared and cooked food to those experiencing hunger (food insecurity.)

Cooked food is delivered to places like shelters (for children, victims of domestic abuse, homeless, etc.); food pantries; community centers; soup kitchens and similar church services; etc.

Have volunteered here before to make sandwiches. Love overall what they do here, including all the integration with neighboring Indianapolis food pantries. Here are two volunteers with Boulevard Place Food Pantry who came to bring items to our facility.

Great place ms Michelle is excellent I feel welcomed and happy everytime I enter the building they deserve more than 5 stars

A fantastic organization with wonderful staff and volunteers!

Last night, some coworkers and I volunteered to help with food prep.  We were given a detailed tour of the facility as well some history and background of the organization.  Then we were tasked with food prep, specifically sorting burger patties into trays, dicing ham, and finally clean up.  It was a good time; reminded me of working part time in my college days!

The facility and equipment are very well kept.  The mission of not letting food go to waste and supporting those in need is highly admirable.  While Second Helpings appears well supported, hopefully other restaurants and retailers become aware and contribute to the cause when possible.

A great way to volunteer!

It’s very misleading to make it seem like you give out food when in reality, you don’t.

Great experience helping and observing how this group services the community

I was part of a charity clean at this house. The staff are wonderful to work with and truly care about their house and the people there.

My family with 3 young children, have been over night guests many times! Our daughter visits her plastic surgeon @ Riley Hospital annually and the trip takes us 4-hours one way. For different reasons, her Dr may order additional tests to be run. Unfortunately they can’t always schedule the tests to get done that same day, so we would have to stay overnight, with little notice. Any of the last minute, over night stays, that Ronald McDonald house could accommodate us for, they never hesitated to get us taken care of! Staff would always be nice and very helpful, no matter the time. They provide most every commodity a family would need during their stay, free of charge!! Donations are encouraged from guests at check out time, but not mandated. They run off of a waiting list when they get booked up & always allow current guests to stay as long as needed until their child is discharged from the hospital. ** All guests are responsible for cleaning up after themselves and for cleaning of their rooms & bathrooms! These Common Areas are intended for ALL GUESTS TO RESPECTIVELY USE & SHARE ** The Kitchen/Pantry Areas include Refrigerators​, Ovens & a Dishwasher. The Laundry/Utility Room has washing/drying machines..**

The Staff are fantastic. Especially Julia and Sophia. They made our trauma easier to bear. Mack is a must see when you enter the doors. We have made a lot of people we call friends. I don’t know what we would have done without the RMDH!

Every aspect of our stay at this Ronald McDonald House was perfect! Comforting environment, kind service, tasty food, good beds. Took a financial strain off of us. Such a tremendous blessing to my daughter and I during her surgery! So very thankful!

My first experience with RMH was as a little girl over nearly forty years ago when my brother was recovering from a surgery at the Chicago Children’s Hospital. Recently my son (19) came down with a rare and mysterious illness and I found myself in the middle of Indiana with only expensive hotels as an option to be near him. Ronald McDonald House hooked my family up! The room was spacious and clean. The beds were comfy and firm. There were so many helpful amenities (laundry, kitchens). The staff was friendly and there was even an adorable doggo to love on. I cannot praise this place enough for being what it is to the families who need it!

There were bed bugs in our room when we checked in the first night. The staff did not assist in any way and didn’t seam like they thought it was a big deal. They told us we needed to wash our clothes in hot water but could not move ya to a different room?We ended up having to go to a hotel for the remainder of our stay at Riley. Thank god I was the only one bitten and my 3 month old who had surgery in the morning was not…

The most amazing people in the entire world !!!

Great staff who work hard to make a difference in the community! Beautiful new buildings and a remembrance tree that is amazing! Please register with them to be an organ, eye, and tissue donor! Save lives!

Working as a deputy coroner and a nurse and dealing with the hounds that pressure you is a bit much. If skin recovery isn’t that noticeable ask them to see the before and afters.

It was a beautiful day of remembering my husband at the donor memorial today.

The staff and volunteers were absolutely wonderful!

A few words to describe the donor network are incompetent, forgetful, disorganized, uncompassionate vultures. They constantly “forget” to call funeral homes whether or not they decide to harvest. When you do call to ask questions, no employee is ever on the same page. Its a disorganized mess. I have had countless interactions with this organization and I have yet to have a positive one, which seems to be normal for them across the board. If I Could give zero stars I would. They have made Mediocrity their standard and it’s sad. Do better.

They walked us through the process as many times as needed and patiently answered our questions. They made the options clear.
They provided our family with quite a few wonderful memory items. The kids got bears with Nana’s heartbeat, They treated her with dignity.
Saying goodbye was the hardest thing to do, but knowing she’s saving people helped get me through it.

A friend of mine lost her daughter recently and wanted to sit in your parking lot to feel close to her while she did a beautiful thing and donated some of her organs. As she was standing there an employee came out to see why she was there and was the kindest person ever to her. She made her feel at ease when there was no at ease in her life anymore. She comforted her, talked to her and hugged her. You have such a beautiful soul there. Thank you for your kindness and compassion to a family grieving. I wish I knew her name but I’m hoping she knows how special she is for the love she poured into my friend that day!

When my son passed away last June they were amazing. My daughter in law was pregnant with my granddaughter and they recorded my son’s heartbeat and put it in a teddy bear for her.

Great place for college preparation for first generation, inner-city youth. My daughter is not a first gen, but she attends the Precious Miss workshop for minority girls. She has learned to “flex her melanin” from the many Afro-centric professionals that volunteer to help these girls find their own inner beauty. This is my second child to cross through their doors. They also offer a program for boys, tutoring, mentoring and college counseling. Scholarships for private schools and colleges are available to participants.

Just updating this post…my daughter is now in a junior in high school. She is participating in the Self-Discovery/ Career Exploration Program. The program is aimed at assisting youth with finding the right pathway towards their future. Why become a nurse if you are really destined to be a doctor? Students explore careers in various positions. This is the first program for the Energing Scholars Scholarship. Still a great program!

I tried to register my son for the program in October. I was advised that the registration was closed for the Fall season. I was told that I could register my son for Spring 2024 starting December 1, 2023 only to find out that registration and resources for his graduation class was permanently closed. I was never told this in October nor is there any information online about deadlines. Very disappointed because the person I spoke with was the Assistant Director and she really didn’t seem to care about the issue nor did she apologize for not providing me with the details and information in October when we spoke. My inquiry included the details of why I wanted to register my son and why it was important!

We have been blessed to be recipients of all the outstanding work that CLD does. The staff are amazing . All of them. Thank you for caring about the success of our children and community. The Lord continue to bless the work of your hands.

CLD is a pillar in the community that supports families educational goals. My family is better because of the wonderful things we’ve learned through CLD.

Great place to truly “develop leaders”. My daughter attended the Precious Miss program through this business and really enjoyed it. The classes helped draw out her hidden gifts and talents. They offer free tutoring and counseling sessions to help your child succeed. Best program to hit Indy for our young people!

Great organization that looks to expand the potential growth of our youth

The amazing turn around my daughter has made since working with Dr. Toni Dickerson has been phenomenal!! Ms. Monique was very patient, informative and supportive in helping us get started and connected with CLD. Thank you and Gods continued guidance and blessings to the entire CLD Staff.

Belief Boosters, Confidence Cultivators, Joy Jump Starters and Resource Providers! These are just some of the words that come to mind when I think about Dress for Success Indianapolis. It is an amazing organization that lives up to the mission of empowering women to achieve economic independence by providing a network of support, professional attire and the development tools to help women thrive in work and in life.

For years, I have donated my business clothes to Dress for Success to be repurposed. I highly recommend Dress for Success Indianapolis if you are seeking a place to donate business clothes for women. July of 2025, I had the opportunity to witness the positive impact of Dress for Success Indianapolis. The organization is like a dynamic combination of a confidence booster and a personal, professional stylist on a mission to help you succeed. From witnessing the resources provided to a very kind woman that I know, I learned that Dress for Success Indianapolis provides the tools needed for women to walk taller, believe bigger, embrace change and face their possibilities prepared. I watched a woman shift from homelessness and interviewing for jobs with one blouse to being given interview clothes that positioned her to secure a new job. Once she was given her job offer letter, she returned to Dress for Success for work clothes. The donations from Dress for Success allowed her to enter her first week of work in an executive building, dressed to impress. Dress for Success Indianapolis even provided a makeup kit, a purse and shoes. The items are definitely a hand up and not a hand out for women. The hand up strengthens women to walk with their heads up and in position to receive new possibilities. The items provided in addition to the clothes were donated in colorful, cute, multi-functional bags. There was even a high level of excellence provided with each visit to the Dress for Success Indianapolis office. Specifically, the first visit. It was an early morning appointment because the person I was bringing to the organization had an early morning interview on the same day. Dress for Success Indianapolis provided expedient service through a kit that had been properly named the EmpowHer Kit. That is exactly what I witnessed, empowerment that leads women to securing better opportunities in life.

The people here genuinely care about the success of their clients and I felt welcomed and encouraged and had a major confidence boost during my styling appointment! They offer lots of follow up services too! I highly recommend them!!

This place is incredible! Walking in you literally feel like you’re VIP in Beverly Hills or something. They walk out to greet you, you get a personal shopper to curate your new wardrobe, as well as beauty products to really make you feel special! The options are amazing and while you’re there you forget about your financial struggles. If only for a moment! Thank you so much! Ask for Beth, she’sgreat!!

Transformative, Empowering, and Life-Changing!

I cannot say enough incredible things about Dress for Success and the Professional Women’s Group (PWG)! From the moment I connected with them, I felt seen, valued, and supported, not just as a professional, but as a whole person.

Dress for Success goes far beyond providing interview attire. They restore confidence. They pour into women with workshops, coaching, mentorship, and genuine sisterhood. Walking into my first appointment, I expected to get clothes. What I received was empowerment. They reminded me that I already had the talent and determination, I just needed the right tools and support to step fully into my purpose.

Then came PWG, and that’s where the transformation deepened. This group is pure gold. Monthly meetings are filled with real conversations, skill-building, and networking that feels authentic and uplifting. I’ve learned how to advocate for myself, negotiate for what I deserve, and lead with confidence. Every session is like a masterclass in personal and professional growth, facilitated by women who get it and who truly care.

Thanks to Dress for Success and PWG, I am not just on a career path, I’m walking it with power, clarity, and community behind me.

If you’re a woman seeking not only career guidance but also connection, inspiration, and tools for long-term success, run, don’t walk to Dress for Success. You’ll never be the same in the best way possible.

I HIGHLY RECOMMEND THIS ANGEL STORE I TRULY FELT LOVED FROM WHEN I CALLED TO WHEN I WENT TO THE STORE TO PICK UP MY STUFF WHICH WAS MORE THAN I EXPECTED EVERYTHING WAS ALL WELL THOUGHT OF FIT ME PERFECTLY I’LL DEFINITELY BE COMING BACK

I am so thankful for the professional network of women at Dress for Sucess, the Strengthsfinder workshop, mentorship, and events make joining the professional network so worth it. Also as a mom whose husband travels a lot it’s so great to have the Tuesday night meetings with a zoom option to still feel like I am doing professional development. The staff really really cares about women and go above and beyond and the women in the networking group have given me some really good encouragement as I navigate the next phase of my career

Oh my goodness! How wonderful! They loaded me up with two shopping bags of wonderful. I left their store with clothing, shoes, a handbag, toiletries, and a sturdy folder with paper for notes and a pocket for resumes. All I can say is, Thank-you so much!

They are amazing at getting you to sign up but cannot seem to execute blood drives very well. Waiting 45 minutes to get my screening. Always understaffed and overbooked. Plan on huge wait times once you arrive at your blood drive

The afternoon I spent at the Red Cross was well spent. Recertification for BLS went smoothly and our instructor was great! Location is clean and everyone is very professional.

When you donate they call all the time to donate again . That’s why I don’t donate When I can I will

Trying to donate blood. After multiple attempts to set the appointment online I gave up. Tried another day and it worked. Got my confirmation and the “Rapid Pass” that the Red Cross says is helpful. Arrived at appointment, all doors to the building but one were locked with no direction as to were to go. I guessed right. Could check because the Rapid Pass wasn’t working. They difficulty scan my drivers license. Finally being checked. Nope, I’m supposed to fill out a 50 questionnaire that the website said to do before my appointment. It was the same damn questions. Now I’m waiting. It’s an hour past my appointment. I’m still waiting while 3 people who were behind got in. Then had to answer the smart questions again. Ok I’m hanging in then. Then the staff rudeness escalated. I end up leaving. I want to help but this is way to difficult and messed up. I really doubt that I’ll attempt to donate again.

I am extremely grateful for the American Red Cross. The individuals involved in helping me through an unexpected life event and loss have been extraordinary in their efforts. My experience has motivated me to one day volunteer my time to those in need in the future. Thank you all for all that you do!

Well after a house fire red cross gave one card to the 3 of us and they guy they gave it to took off an left us with nothing. And then I call them an they say it’s a civil suit now but we went without for a week with no food or shelter after our house burnt down due to the red cross giving the other guy the debit card with 640 dollars on it and they asked the other guy if we were staying together as a group and he told red cross we were cause he knew they were going to give him a card and he played us

American Red Cross on a whole is a great organization. However, I’ve never seen the staff here be particularly helpful to the public. As a local part of this organization, they don’t seem to provide a lot for the local community. I would love to see local availability of first aid kits and better assistance from front end staff.

The Keep Indianapolis Beautiful headquarters here are a green building, focusing on the cleanup of former industrial pollution at site; using and collecting rainwater; preferring recycled materials; having a plant-topped roof; and so on.

Keep Indianapolis Beautiful picks up a lot of litter and garbage in the city; plants a lot of trees; and works to stop destructively invasive plant and insect species.

Most of the photos below are from the 2023 Appreciation Event, held on a muggy August day with temperatures in the mid 90°s F.

You DID NOT keep Indianapolis beautiful. You planted trees next to potholes. The trees look tacky. I invested my own money to remove trees that the city of Indianapolis did not maintain. Your response is to plant more trees that the city of Indianapolis will not maintain. The neighborhood now looks cluttered. The city of Indianapolis should use taxpayer money to fix the streets and side walks. NOT PLANT TREES!

I can’t say enough about this fantastic organization. They’ve beautified our city for decades, along w picking up trash and planting trees as a nonprofit they rely on donations and volunteer help. I’m happy to contribute in both ways and hope you will too! I’m an Ambassador for KIB, so I’m dedicated to performing a number of projects for them throughout the year. I also am and adopt a block captain and work with our neighbors to keep our streets clean. KIB rocks ❤

Big fan of KIB. They have a great team who sincerely care about our city and our neighborhoods. If you’re interested in learning more about how to get involved with our neighborhoods in a greener way, reach out to them!

PS. beautiful space. Welcoming 🙂

KIBI is great for The city of Indianapolis. They are very active in helping to keep the city clean and by helping to beautify the city. The have several projects each year that help lots of neighborhoods. They also have an adopt a block program that they will provide you several free tools to help you keep you neighborhood clean.

Keep up the phenomenal job!
Maybe you can convince stores like Lowes, Target, Home Depot, and strip malls to add trees to their vast parking lots. They add so much beauty in addition to the nutrients they add to the air we breathe. (Plus, I’ve noticed I’m not the only one searching for shade to park in.)
I forgot to add that I can’t wait until the trees along Michigan are tall enough to provide much needed shade along that route! Thank you so much for planting them!

I help with trio ministries and I’m working with this place to try to get a dumpster or something but these are very nice people they seem to be doing a noble thing as well thank you very much they reached out to me in an effort to clean up the river area hopefully I will be working with them in the future to do so as I am doing it by myself right now but to help with trio ministries.

En mi experiencia ha sido de mucha utilidad, las dos veces que he necesitado información a cerca de escuelas para mis hijos, me han ayudado y son muy amables. Lo recomiendo ❤️

Do not return calls for people in need. I have called multiple times a month since July when my son was born to get a WIC appointment and no one has called back. It is humiliating to basically plead for a callback and express how much your family need help and no one even bothers to acknowledge you.

Hola buen dia! Quiero saber si la ayuda que brindan es del gobierno o es una carga pública? Pregunto porque estoy en proceso de asilo y no quiero tener ningún problema . Gracias!!

Nunca contestan yo creo que no lo abren

Muy agradecida por todos sus servicios y ayuda para la comunidad.
Hoy recivimos nuestra primer dosis de la vacuna.

La Plaza provides services for the growing Hispanic east side community like:. Good pantry and WIC. The are service for Haitian Creole speakers too.

Buen servicio,desde que entras hasta com la persona com quién vas,todos muy amable,mi punto de vista buen lugar. Gracias

Went to a workshop that was very good and loved the experience of meeting ladies from other agencies. It’s was great

UWCI is an amazing partner for our organization (Glick). We love working with Ashley, Maddie and Molly to coordinate our volunteer and charitable outreach. They are doing great things in the community and we are proud to be affiliated with them!

Years ago I went through domestic violence, I called every single phone number to the united way and never got help and also had two children, became a single parent, lost several jobs and places to live with my two children ,it was one hell of a battle but we made it through it,I just wished they helped me and my children back then,God is the only one who saved us

Terrific organization that helps individuals and families throughout central Indiana. Almost anybody in need of assistance can benefit from one of the many organizations affiliated with the United Way.

Defund United way.
Why are we giving money to this place when they don’t help anyone. They refer you to 211. This place needs a full investigation into where the funds is allocated.

This is a fantastic organization that assists both individuals and families.

Great mission, great people, great new offices!

I highly recommend Greater Indy Habitat for Humanity for its dedicated efforts in providing affordable housing solutions to families in need. It plays a crucial role in strengthening communities through homeownership, education, and volunteer engagement. Its commitment to long-term impact makes it a valuable and trusted organization.

I always feel at home whenever I visit this office! I’ve always loved introducing new potential home owners to this wonderful program by habits! Long live habit of greater INDIANAPOLIS

I would encourage anyone thinking of applying here to do some research…. I feel like I have been robbed for $100…. If you are honest and hardworking looking to improve your life please look up INHP or try the Union Savings Bank. Keep your feet planted and stay focused because you will get there! The effort is incredibly rewarding….. I started my journey a few years back and I have definitely come a very long way…. My advice to anyone that has a decision you don’t understand or one you don’t agree with stay working towards your goals and remember nothing beats a failure but a try….. Be encouraged and patient…..

They abused the due on sale clause when people die. Using it to foreclose on good honest folks who are doing everything right to be current with their mortgages.

This program is very Bias. The women running the program Brammer and Blackmon are HORRIBLE!! They literally hand pick who they want to take part in the program. I qualified for the program but was denied because Brammer could not do a simple thing as pull my credit report. She also lied about it, stating she could not pull it when in fact she had access to it. She used this strategy to have a reason to deny my application and it worked. These women are petty and bitter. It’s quite disturbing they would even have women like this working for the Organization, that represent them poorly.

I applied 2 years in a row, but the first time it was Blackmon that never replied to my emails and purposely ignored my emails for the 2nd application. I investigated this on my own by having someone else email her after I attempted. Interestingly enough, this conceeded woman replied.

Despite me reaching out to CEO, Mr. Morris and another person involved with the Organization, nothing was done about these vain women who simply lie to applicants or ignore applicants.

Please keep in mind, I was in contact with the CEO prior to this incident to assure when I reapplied again that there would be a fair process, however, Mr. Morris undermined all the actions of the discriminatory practices both women orchestrated. Clearly, their actions is a violation of organizations policy.

I will be filing a despite with the Better Business Bureau about the bias practices of this organization. I have all the email correspondence to validate my claim, as well as an email from the CEO, Mr. Morris stating he would address the internal issue.
Unfortunately, I have yet to hear back from him, and its been months.

What a shame!! Brammer and Blackmon failed to provide quality service that contribute to their richness. Clearly, this is typical behavior of women who has grown too comfortable with their job.

There is a saying my grandma would say, ” GOD DON’T LIKE UGLY”…and these women are UGLY in their unchecked behavior.

Normally they have what you need but not that particular day the last time I was in there and desperately needed something to finish a job in the city. Ended up having to drive an extra 19 miles out of my way to get what I needed.

Habitat for Humanity is one of the most noble organizations I have ever encountered! Thank you so much for helping with building the house for Vincent’s family. All of you were so happy for them at the key ceremony! Thanks so much for exhibiting such kindness towards humanity!