Keep Indianapolis Beautiful Inc

KEEP INDIANAPOLIS BEAUTIFUL (KIB) HELPS PEOPLE AND NATURE THRIVE.

BEAUTIFICATION:KIB CONNECTED WITH COMMUNITY GROUPS THROUGHOUT INDIANAPOLIS TO HOLD 334 GREAT INDY CLEANUPS (GICS). AN ESTIMATED 9,250 VOLUNTEERS PARTICIPATED IN CLEANUP PROJECTS THIS YEAR. THEY COLLECTED MORE THAN 810,200 OF LITTER, WHICH WAS DISPOSED OF AT THE SOUTH SIDE LANDFILL. A TOTAL OF 1,025 ADOPT-A-BLOCK CAPTAINS REGISTERED TO KEEP THEIR STREETS CLEAN AND LITTER-FREE. A MAP OF ADOPTED BLOCKS IS AVAILABLE AT WWW.KIBI.ORG/ADOPT-A-BLOCK.WE PARTNERED WITH KEYS2WORK, AN AGENCY THAT WORKS WITH ADULTS WHO HAVE LEFT THE CRIMINAL JUSTICE SYSTEM AND HELPS PROVIDE LIVABLE WAGES AND SOCIAL SERVICES. WE HIRED TWO FULL-TIME CREWS A TOTAL OF 12 PEOPLE TO REGULARLY CLEANUP 20 OF THE BUSIEST AND MOST LITTERED ROADWAYS IN INDIANAPOLIS.

ADDITIONAL CORE PROGRAM ACTIVITIES SUPPORT KIB'S MISSION-RELATED COMMUNITY IMPROVEMENT PROJECTS INCLUDING HABITAT RESTORATION, ADOPT-A-BLOCK, CLEAN TEAM, GREAT INDY CLEANUP, AND URBAN NATURALISTS.

GREEN INFRASTRUCTURE: KIB'S AES INDIANA PROJECT GREENSPACE PROGRAM TRANSFORMS VACANT LOTS AND UNDERUSED SPACES INTO NATURAL, BEAUTIFUL, AND FUNCTIONAL POCKET PARKS AND GREENSPACES. IN 2023, THREE NEW GREENSPACES WERE CREATED IN CROWN HILL, ALONG THE B&O TRAIL IN HAUGHVILLE, AND AT THE NUR-ALLAH ISLAMIC CENTER. KIB'S COMMUNITY FORESTRY PROGRAM TAKES A COMMUNITY-BASED APPROACH TO PLANT THOUSANDS OF TREES EACH YEAR. IN 2023, WE PLANTED 3,503 TREESOVER 95% OF THEM NATIVE TO INDIANA AND MOSTLY LARGE SHADE TREES. THOSE TREES WERE PLANTED ALONG STREETS IN HISTORICALLY UNDERINVESTED LOCATIONS, IN NEIGHBORHOODS AND PARKS, AND IN STRATEGIC LOCATIONS TO REDUCE FLOODING.

YOUTH PROGRAMS AND EDUCATION: THE 2023 YOUTH TREE TEAM INCLUDED 47 TEENS AND 10 YOUNG ADULT LEADERS WHO HELPED MAINTAIN THOUSANDS OF KIB-PLANTED TREES THROUGHOUT INDIANAPOLIS. YOUTH WATERED TREES TWO DAYS PER WEEK, MULCHED TREES ONE DAY PER WEEK, AND ENJOYED WEEKLY ENRICHMENT PROGRAMMING FOCUSED ON DEVELOPING SOCIAL, SPIRITUAL, ENVIRONMENTAL, PHYSICAL, EMOTIONAL, OCCUPATIONAL, AND INTELLECTUAL WELLNESS.OUR URBAN NATURALIST PROGRAM IS A PAID SEASONAL EMPLOYMENT OPPORTUNITY FOR COLLEGE STUDENTS OR RECENT GRADUATES WHO ARE INTERESTED IN ENVIRONMENTAL CAREERS. 2023'S UN TEAM LED OVER 831 CORPORATE AND PUBLIC VOLUNTEERS IN INVASIVE REMOVAL AND PLANTING NATIVE PERENNIALS. THEY PREVENTED INVASIVE HONEYSUCKLE AND PURPLE WINTERCREEPER FROM RETURNING ON MORE THAN 30 ACRES AT PLEASANT RUN, BROOKSIDE PARK, RIVERSIDE PARK, AND FALL CREEK PARKWAY.