Republic Services and Goodwill of Central & Southern Indiana recently joined forces for a volunteer day, adding the finishing touches to a beautification project at The Excel Center® in southeast Indy. This initiative was part of Republic Services’ National Neighborhood Promise grant awarded to Goodwill earlier this year. 

The Republic Services Charitable Foundation awarded this grant of $250,000 primarily to support workforce development efforts across Excel Center locations in Marion County as well as renovating The Excel Center in southeast Indy, including constructing an outdoor space with a playground and garden for the Young Learners Child Care (YLCC) center. This new space aims to support adult students working towards their high school diploma by providing essential child care services. 

The collaboration between the two organizations was further strengthened as volunteers dedicated their time and effort to give back to the community. 

“Supporting the community is extremely important. At Republic Services, we aim to partner with our community to impact 45 million people nationwide through projects like these,” said Paul Cardinal, general manager of the Indianapolis business unit.

The National Neighborhood Promise provides 15 grants across the U.S., focusing on restoring places for people and employees to live and thrive. This project is a testament to the positive impact that can be achieved when organizations work together for the betterment of their communities.

“We are grateful for our longstanding partnership with Republic Services and all of the great work we were able to accomplish together towards our shared goals of sustainability and improving our community,” said Rachel Eble, senior vice president and chief philanthropy officer of the Goodwill Foundation of Central & Southern Indiana. 

With shovels, volunteers came together to transform the space. They dug into the soil, spread mulch, and put in hours of hard work. This new space will be a place where future generations can play, learn, and grow, while their parents work toward their own dreams of growth and success. Through their collective sweat and dedication, the volunteers created a lasting impact on their community, ensuring that this new space will be a source of pride and joy for years to come.

If you would like to support Goodwill of Central & Southern Indiana and its mission to empower people to increase their independence, you can make a gift on our donation page.