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Meet Your Neighbor: 3 Local Non-profit Organizations

The Fishers Farmers Market at the Nickel Plate District Amphitheater is hosting a Day of Service on July 22. From 8 a.m. to noon, there will be several nonprofit vendors on site for visitors to connect with and learn more about how to get involved in their community.  

Let’s meet three local organizations participating in Day of Service! 

Outside the Box

Outside the Box is an adult day program based in Indianapolis serving adults ages 18 to 100 with intellectual and developmental disabilities. Their mission is to empower these adults toward personal growth through education, leadership development, self-discovery, and a customized career path. Outside the Box accomplishes this mission through their Day Program, Employment Services, and Studio OTB Art Program. 

The recently announced Fishers Community Center at Johnson Farms will house Outside the Box’s adult day program with plans to open in 2025. The Studio Program enables individuals to explore different art forms. These pieces are displayed and made available for purchase at the OTB Gallery and other locations around the city!  

Toni Hughes, Coordinator of Business Operations, encourages individuals to get involved. “We are always looking for volunteers to do various activities around the building and with our participants. This could be general upkeep, organizing, simple office task and beautifying our facility, to hosting a special event or activity for our participants that pulls from a volunteer’s strengths and gifts.” Go to otbonline.org for more information on how you can get connected! 

Paws & Think 

Paws & Think works to touch the lives of 65,000 humans and canines across Central Indiana and over 6,000 in Fishers specifically through Animal-Assisted Intervention programs, also known as pet therapy, and their Youth-Canine programs. Paws & Think’s therapy dog program registers and provides therapy teams to individuals of all ages and abilities. The teams consist of a handler and their registered service dog and partner with numerous Fishers facilities such as Conner Prairie, IU Saxony, IKEA, and more. The Youth-Canine program pairs vulnerable youth with shelter dogs and leads them through classes to train positive reinforcement behaviors.  

To get involved with Paws & Think, Whitney Stevens-McBride, Volunteer and Development Coordinator, recommends to, “become a therapy team with your dog, help at our therapy skills classes, be a youth-canine coach at our youth-canine program, and/or become an intern, serve on a committee, or join Paws & Think’s Board of Directors.” Visit www.pawsandthink.org to learn more and get involved!  

Indiana Wish 

Indiana Wish is a local organization dedicated to granting wishes to children diagnosed with life-threatening or terminal illnesses. Since 1984, Indiana Wish has granted over 3,400 wishes including family vacations, trips to Disney World, and even meetings with celebrities! Their mission is to put a smile on the face of a child with a life-threatening illness by making a dream come true.  

Courtney Bickett, Marketing & Events Coordinator, explains that “our children have had to fight battles that they should not have to fight. They don’t get to enjoy everything they should. Granting their wish gives these brave children something to look forward to and helps build strength and hope for their future.” You can get involved with Indiana Wish by donating, attending events hosted throughout the year to raise funds, volunteering, or becoming a community partner! Learn more about Indiana Wish at indianawish.org

Don’t miss your chance to connect with these organizations and others at Day of Service at the Fishers Farmers Market on July 22! Learn more at playfishers.com/market-events and find other specialty days and info about the market, and be sure to follow them on Facebook and Instagram.