Indy Do-Gooders Plant it Forward with Flanner House

United Way of Central Indiana fights for the education, financial stability, health and basic needs of everyone in our community. So, when our partner agency, Flanner House, unveiled plans to create a community garden for the people of northwest Indianapolis to enjoy, we couldn’t wait to roll up our sleeves and get our hands dirty! Flanner House, located in northwest Indianapolis, is in the state’s largest food desert. This means that access to affordable, nutritious food is scarce -- a huge problem for the 22,000 people who call this area home. On May 8, local millennial philanthropists from United Way’s LINC program, created garden boxes for Flanner Working Farm’s Community Garden to provide members of the neighborhood with free fresh produce. The LINC members were especially excited to put their hands to work, as one participant shared, “I’ve lived in northwest Indianapolis my whole life and I am so excited to see that there are events like this that will improve the health and quality of life of the great people who live in this area. This is a great thing for us.” Flanner House Food Justice Coordinator Mat Davis says that neighbors can expect to harvest from the garden beds within the next few months, and he explained that this garden will allow residents of the area to enjoy the benefits of nutritious food options while becoming one step closer to self-sufficiency.