Outreach

Have extra travel-sized bathroom products taking up space in your bathroom? This is your sign to drop them off here at Outreach!

During the summer months, many of the youth we serve face increased challenges as school is out of session and access to everyday essentials becomes less consistent.

Items like shampoo, conditioner, body wash, deodorant, toothpaste, and toothbrushes may seem small, but they help provide something every young person deserves: the ability to care for themselves, feel confident, and move through their day with dignity.

As families head out on vacations and return home with extra hotel-sized products, we invite you to consider donating them to Outreach. Those unused items can make a meaningful difference for a young person who may not have reliable access to basic hygiene supplies.

Thank you for helping us meet both the big and small needs of the youth we serve. See more ways you can donate: https://www.outreachindiana.org/donate

Our marketing team recently noticed something when looking through our photos...

What stood out was that in photos of meetings, planning sessions, and youth-centered conversations at our Program Center, Andrew Neal is usually right there in the middle of the conversation.

People sometimes have an image of a CEO sitting behind a desk, wearing a suit, and giving orders over the phone.

While we can't speak for everyone else, we know that's definitely not the case here at Outreach.

Over the past 30 years, Outreach has grown and evolved in countless ways, but one thing has remained the same: a commitment to listening, collaborating, and working together to serve youth and young adults experiencing homelessness.

For the last four years, this type of connection has continued with him helping lead the way.

Today, we're feeling extra grateful for leaders who understand that the strongest communities aren't built by one person... or from behind a desk. They're built by people willing to sit in the room, lean into the conversation, and move the mission forward together.

Like this post if you agree. 👍

If you don't think your skills or experience are useful here at Outreach, read this...

During a recent interview, Kelsie shared a story that reminds us of the power of community and how everyone can play a role in making an impact.

"We had a volunteer day at the duplex when we were getting ready to have a tenant move in. There were some final touches that we needed to put on the duplex—things like changing all the face plates on the outlet covers and the light switch covers and installing the blinds.

I had this amazing conversation with this volunteer whose wife had been really involved with Outreach. I think he was interested, but he hadn't seen a place for his skill set, and he's just a very handy guy. So he came and helped, and he installed all the blinds in the unit."

Andrew also shared, "We're also realizing that there's a role for everyone who's interested to play. I don't want to minimize the fact that even if you can't drop a hundred thousand dollars or two hundred dollars, that you can't be a part of this. We saw people show up to put together furniture... other people drop off meals."

We share this as a reminder that no matter who you are or what your background is, there's a volunteer opportunity for you here at Outreach.

Whether you're handy with tools, enjoy cooking, love mentoring, have a knack for organizing, or simply want to lend a helping hand, there are countless ways to be part of the mission.

Because sometimes making a difference is as simple as installing a set of blinds and helping turn a house into a home. Find your spot: https://www.outreachindiana.org/volunteer

The young people you serve may already have the answers they need, but you can still help...

Too often, youth work can become focused on solving problems for young people instead of helping them build the confidence, skills, and self-awareness to navigate challenges themselves.

That's where coaching comes in.

Our Coach Training Program equips youth workers, mentors, church leaders, and nonprofit professionals with coaching principles rooted in International Coaching Federation (ICF) standards. These practical tools can be used with youth in after-school programs, youth groups, mentoring relationships, schools, and case management settings.

Through a combination of self-paced learning and cohort-based seminars, you'll learn core coaching competencies that can help transform the way you support young people.

📅 Next Cohort Begins: June 17

If you're passionate about helping youth grow, thrive, and take ownership of their futures, we'd love to have you join us.

Register today or contact us to learn more: https://www.outreachindiana.org/training

Getting turned down for housing is often part of the process of finding a home.

One thing we know at Outreach is that the path toward housing is usually filled with unexpected turns. Applications fall through, opportunities take longer than expected, and sometimes progress can feel uncertain.

As Natasha often shares, this work has always been about walking alongside someone through each step of the journey. That’s part of what makes the Outreach cross so meaningful.

When you look closely, the lines aren’t straight. They curve and bend, reflecting the reality that the journey forward rarely follows one perfect direction. There are different pathways, different timelines, and different starting points.

If you feel called to help youth navigate these twisting roads, learn more about how you can be part of the Outreach impact: https://www.outreachindiana.org/how-to-help

We can't fully celebrate the magic of ARCH without taking a moment to celebrate the team behind the youth.

Meet the faces behind so many of this year's success stories:
•Coaches: Mikala, Tiffany, Regina, (and not pictured: Daniel)
•Mental Heath Specialist: Izzy

While our graduates are the ones walking across the stage, these are some of the people who have been walking alongside them all year long.

They've helped youth navigate housing challenges, family struggles, school stress, mental health concerns, transportation barriers, and countless other obstacles. They've celebrated victories, encouraged students through setbacks, answered phone calls, attended meetings, and consistently reminded young people that they don't have to face life's challenges alone.

This year's ARCH graduates didn't get here alone, and we are so grateful for the team members who have spent months (and often years) investing in these incredible young people.

To learn more about our amazing ARCH program and other services we offer, head to our website: https://www.outreachindiana.org/services

Hats off to the 31 out of 32 ARCH students graduated this year!! 🎓

Not only did 31 students earn their diplomas, but 25 graduates joined us at our ARCH Graduation celebration, where they were surrounded by a community that came together to honor everything they accomplished.

Today, we celebrate the resilience of our youth. We celebrate the coaches who walked alongside them through every setback and success. We celebrate the volunteers, donors, prayer partners, teachers, and community members who encouraged these students, believed in them, and invested in their futures.

Success stories like these are never the result of one person. They are built through years of consistent support, trusted relationships, and a community willing to show up again and again.

To our graduates: We are so proud of you. Thank you for allowing us to be part of your journey.

Please take a moment to like and share this post. Let's encourage others to celebrate this amazing milestone for these young people!

The truth is, we don't share every successful housing story on social media.

For every polished video or proud young person telling their story publicly, there are countless other stories unfolding behind the scenes that the public may never see.

Often, we meet youth who are leaving unsafe or unhealthy relationships. They are breaking cycles, creating boundaries, and making difficult decisions that once felt impossible. Because their goal is to start fresh, and our goal is to help protect and support them, many of these victories are never shared publicly.

As many of us know, real change rarely happens with an audience. It happens in quiet counseling and coaching sessions. It happens in small, everyday decisions, like choosing to leave a relationship when you are unsure how to make it on your own, or working overtime just to afford housing that feels safe, stable, and secure.

Today, we want to honor the stories that often go untold. The ones happening every single day behind the scenes at Outreach. Most of all, we want to recognize the courage it takes for these young people to choose something new for themselves.

There is more happening here than we may ever be able to fully share. But one thing is certain: we are deeply proud of the youth doing the hard, unseen work of changing their lives.

Please take a moment to like this post or leave a ♥️ in the comments to remind these young people that they are seen, supported, and surrounded by a community that believes in them.