Northside Food Pantry
Caring for those experiencing hardship and food insecurity in Washington Township.
Serve Near
Second has numerous mission and outreach programs that serve the Indianapolis community.
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Need Help?
Whether you’re facing tough times or just need a little extra support, the Northside Food Pantry is here to help. We are open three days a week and ready to serve our Washington Township neighbors. Find us at the northeast corner of Second Presbyterian Church.
Northside Food Pantry Hours
Tuesdays12:30 - 3 PM Wednesdays 4 - 6:30 PM Saturdays 10 AM - 12 PM Doors open 30 minutes prior to above times. Serving residents of Washington Township and these zip codes: 46220, 46226, 46228, 46240, 46250, 46260, 46268, 46280, 46205, and 46208. Please bring proof of residency such as a current bill or piece of mail with your name and address. Our Location
7700 N. Meridian StreetIndianapolis, IN 46260 Contact Us
317-253-6461, ext. 311
Why Volunteer?
- Give back to the community.
- Meet new people.
- See joy on the faces of others.
- When you help others, it makes you feel good.
- Fellowship
- Gain confidence and important interpersonal skills.
- Make a difference.
It takes roughly 80 volunteers a week to run our pantry.
For more information, please contact Karen Johnson.
Make a Donation
Northside Food Pantry sources most of its food through Gleaners. If you would like to help keep the pantry shelves stocked, you can donate online and select "Northside Food Pantry" in the drop-down menu.
Community Garden
The three-quarter acre plot south of the church provides fresh vegetables to the Northside Food Pantry. Dedicated volunteers tend the garden, which is not only productive, but also beautiful, featuring flower beds, a seating area, and a prayer garden.
Contact:
Jeff Reese
Garden Manager
reesejs19@gmail.comWillowlake/Greenbriar Elementary School
Northside works collaboratively with Women@Second and other friends of Greenbriar to provide volunteer support for classrooms and school events, snacks for after-school tutoring, teacher appreciation events, and the donation of school supplies and other specially requested items.
Greenbriar students need school supplies throughout the year. Download the supply list and bring donations to Second in a bag marked “Greenbriar.”
Contact:
Jan Millholland
jmillholland@indy.rr.comUtility and Rent Assistance
The Utility and Rent Assistance Program (URAP) partners with the Washington Township Trustee's office and families in Washington Township to offer emergency assistance. In these “gap” situations, a little assistance goes a long way, often preventing a family from losing their housing or having their power shut off. Our partners provide vital case management with URAP families to ensure long term stability.
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School Support
Washington TownshipAs in years past, our mission work supporting local Washington Township students goes on! Working with other congregations, our Deacons continue this tradition and provided much needed supplies for middle school students this fall.
Your financial support is also appreciated. You can make a donation online. Any donation amount makes a difference!
Would you like to do more? Adopt a classroom!
A new way to support our partners at Greenbriar Elementary (our Northside mission partner in Washington Township) is to fund all needed supplies for an entire classroom, for the whole school year. Prayerfully consider teaming up with friends, neighbors, or your small group to donate $1,000 (select "Adopt a Classroom" from the drop down menu) to fully equip a classroom of students this school year.+ 
New Local Partnerships
in Washington TownshipThe Task Force on Local Partnership Ministries was established to consider new opportunities for mission work in our local community, Washington Township, and to consider ways to adapt existing mission projects so that they focus more directly on our local community. In his Eight Strategies for Church Growth, Rev. Chris Henry encourages us to, “Develop relational ministries that nurture broad connection and deep community.” More specifically, the goals for the church for 2019-20 include the following:
Second Presbyterian Church will take meaningful steps to form, nurture, deepen, and expand partnerships in the city of Indianapolis that offer hope and concrete support to those in deepest need. Embracing the call of Matthew 25:31-46, we will put faith into action on behalf of the “least of these who are members of (Christ’s) family.” We will review our own practices and processes; evaluate the sustainability and impact of partnerships in an effort to be faithful stewards of resources offered to us; and explore new opportunities to be in relationship with the diverse community in which God has placed us.
The Task Force identified opportunities for Second to establish or deepen our involvement with four local organizations (listed below). As we live into the promise of these new partnerships, you will be hearing more about these organizations and how you can engage with their work in our community.
- ProAct. This organization has worked for a decade “to stand in the gap for vulnerable populations while empowering youth to actively transform their communities”. ProAct envisions a proactive community with well-informed, well-intentioned, empathetic, and confident youth who are equipped with 21st- Century skills to adapt and improve upon the modern work environment. Second has supported them in the past and provided a $15,000 grant about two years ago that was delayed due to internal restructuring. The project was set to begin last year but was delayed due to the pandemic. ProAct wants to expand mentoring to Greenbriar and Willow Lake elementary schools and establish a mobile food pantry that can distribute food in Washington Township once or twice a month, when safe to do so in person. Volunteer engagement in this program would require a long-term time commitment to provide continuity for the students.
- Nora Ambassadors. Established a year ago, this program brings together congregations in our community to support our neighbors physically, socially, emotionally and spiritually. A current focus is the shocking disrepair of low-income apartments at Lakeside Pointe at Nora. This large apartment complex houses a number of patrons of Second’s food pantry. Lisa Enright is already connected with Nora Ambassadors, but would like a volunteer to serve as another point of contact for Second and to attend meetings of the group.
- IU Health Congregational Care Network. This program connects people in our community who have been discharged recently from the hospital with a trained “connector” from our congregation who will speak with their neighbor by phone once a week for six weeks to provide support and connect the neighbor to assistance they might need. St. Luke’s Methodist recently joined the growing group of congregations in Indianapolis participating in this program. IU Health asks that Second have a point of contact for IUH and the volunteers to coordinate support for the neighbors. There is training from IUH for everyone who participates in this program, and no costs for Second to establish this volunteer opportunity.
- NeighborLink Indianapolis is a nonprofit serving Marion County providing free home repairs and services to neighbors who are low-income homeowners-seniors or disabled- living at or below 150% of the federal poverty line. Its mission is to help our most vulnerable citizens age in place safely and with dignity. Since it began in late 2013, NeighborLink has provided more than 2,000 home repairs. Volunteer opportunities are flexible, great for groups, generally in three-hour segments and do not require any skill--just a heart to serve. Minimum volunteer age is 12 years old (with adult supervision). NeighborLink has a collaborative relationship with SAWs as NeighborLink does not build ramps. Second could enable volunteers from the congregation to participate in projects as needed, with identification of projects and 3 registration provided by NeighborLink. One of the advantages of this program is the opportunity for families with children 12 or older to participate together. We would not expect that staff time or financial resources would be required to support this program.
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SAWs Ramp Building
Impacting the lives for low-income and disabled individuals, one ramp at a time.Help build a ramp and change a life!
Volunteer opportunities are available for ramp builds. No experience or tools are required! SAWs will provide the leadership and the materials. We just ask that you are willing to learn and serve others. Youth age 12 and up are welcome to volunteer with a parent/guardian. This is the perfect service project for a family with older children.
Volunteer opportunities are posted each month online at SAWSRamps.volunteerhub.com. They are available on a first come, first serve basis and are open to anyone interested.
SAWs© is a nonprofit, volunteer organization founded in 2003. Originally started in Indianapolis, our organization serves clients across Indiana, as well as Arizona and Virginia. We specialize in building wooden wheelchair ramps for low-income, permanently disabled individuals. With the support of our donors and volunteers, lives are changed one ramp at a time, and, in less than six hours, we transform a client’s life FOREVER.
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Habitat For Humanity
Providing safe and affordable housing for families in our community.Greater Indy Habitat brings people together people to provide safe, affordable housing for families in our community. For more than 35 years, Second has partnered with Greater Indy Habitat for Humanity to sponsor an annual interfaith build and participate in other Habitat activities throughout the year.
If you would like to contribute to this important work in our community, please designate "Habitat for Humanity" in your donation to Second.
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Disaster Relief
Emergency cleanup buckets and hygiene kitsIn the fall, our church parking lot serves as a collection site for area churches and families to drop off emergency cleanup buckets and hygiene kits. Church World Service distributes these much-needed supplies to those affected by wildfires, hurricanes, flooding, and other disasters in the U.S. and around the world.
Presbyterian Disaster Assistance(an organization within our denomination) partners with Church World Service to collect, store, and distribute relief kits.
The Church World Service website has details about the emergency cleanup buckets and hygiene kits, including printable shopping lists and videos showing how to pack the kits.
For five years, our church has been a collection depot for Church World Service, facilitating the gathering and storage of emergency cleanup buckets and hygiene kits. We are united in our mission to serve those in most need.
Who is Presbyterian Disaster Assistance?
Here are some quick facts from 2021:
- $3.1 million granted in 30 states and 15 countries
- 60 National Response Team members deployed to 19 presbyteries.
- 112 Presbyterian Women trained in Disaster Preparedness
- 400 work team volunteers served in CA, NC, NE and NJ
- Developed a new grant opportunity supporting refugee and asylum advocacy programs
- Hosted more than 500 people in 41 Emotional & Spiritual programs
- In partnership with Church World Service, assisted in the collection and distribution of 191,182 Gift of the Heart kits and blankets
THANK YOU for helping your church help those in need!
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Refugee Ministry
In early 2018, we welcomed a Congolese family of 12 in Indianapolis. They had been in a refugee camp in Tanzania for almost two decades.
If you would like to learn more about how you can help this family and others, contact Jim Montgomery or Jennifer Shivers, who lead this team of faithful people, who feel called to work with refugees in our city.
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Family Promise
Eliminating homelessness in Greater Indianapolis with an Apartment Shelter Program, Diversion Program, and AfterCare.