Year: 2025
Partner School: Culver Academies
Community Partner: Marshall County Neighborhood Center
Category: Social Services/Food Insecurity
Problem: The Marshall County Neighborhood Center (MCNC) serves low-income households and is a community response to an overwhelming need for basic support services in its service area. It provides a grocery store, second-hand clothing, and advocacy/education for clients. The purpose of MCNC is to provide basic needs and services to disadvantaged and low-income households in Marshall County. Its formal mission is to reduce poverty and its causes and to serve as advocates for disadvantaged persons of Marshall County.
MCNC seeks creative and innovative solutions to augment existing core and/or programmatic
fundraisers, such as their “Dancing with the Stars” fundraiser, which accounts for more than 70% of their total annual revenue. Additionally, MCNC seeks to provide space in their modest food pantry for safe, allergen-friendly food options for customers with dietary restrictions.
MCNC also desires to make progress in shifting community perception of the clients that it serves, especially the young adult community (ages 18-25).
Solution: The winning idea was centered around a unique new fundraising idea: the winning team was able to connect with a local car dealership willing to donate a car as a fundraiser for the organization. The team also suggested a collaboration with the Indianapolis Colts by working with their cheerleaders as a way to boost interest in their already-popular “Dancing with the Stars” fundraising event.
To make sure folks with allergies could still utilize the food shelf, the winning team designed a separate “Allergy Shelf” in the food pantry to make sure folks with allergies can gain access to safe foods. There was also the idea to create a “Community Night” open house event at MCNC to help dispel the stigma surrounding the work they do and invite the community into the space. A partnership with the local United Way chapter was also suggested as a way to get the word out about the MCNC.
View the winning slide decks here:
https://drive.google.com/file/d/1r7L9cMMLcPRR1iSmLvL6eNep3L86W2W4/view?usp=drive_link
https://drive.google.com/file/d/1rQfAH8v3KSv0H9oZdha-7WKJJ3S74rcm/view?usp=drive_link
