Faith & Action Project invests in organizations working to expand opportunity, strengthen stability, and improve well-being across Central Indiana.
INDIANAPOLIS, IN, UNITED STATES, August 13, 2026 /EINPresswire.com/ — Christian Theological Seminary’s Faith & Action Project is investing $125,000 in seven Indianapolis-area organizations working to expand opportunity, strengthen stability, and improve the well-being of youth, individuals, and families across Central Indiana. Now celebrating its tenth year, the Faith & Action Grant Program supports evidence-based, collaborative, and scalable initiatives already making a measurable difference in the Indianapolis community. The program prioritizes faith and community partners addressing the complex realities of poverty through holistic solutions that promote long-term stability, well-being, and opportunity.
“This year’s grant recipients are demonstrating effective, relational approaches that can lead to long-term transformation,” said Faith & Action Program Director Lindsey Nell Rabinowitch. “We are excited to highlight their best practices because they offer lessons that can be replicated and scaled to improve outcomes for more youth, individuals, and families across our community and beyond.”
The 2026 recipients reflect the many ways faith-inspired organizations and community partners are working to reduce poverty and strengthen communities across Central Indiana. Although each organization serves a distinct population and need, their work aligns around four areas of impact: creating opportunities for youth, advancing housing stability, promoting healing and mental well-being, and strengthening families and communities.
The 2026 Faith & Action Grant recipients are:
DREAM Alive — $20,000
DREAM Alive empowers students attending Indianapolis Public Schools to discover their purpose, prepare for meaningful careers, and build lasting relationships with caring mentors. Beginning in sixth grade and continuing through high school graduation, students receive academic support, career exploration, and consistent mentorship that helps them envision a brighter future. This investment expands DREAM Alive’s reach across every IPS middle school, strengthens access to career exploration experiences through transportation support, and ensures students facing food insecurity receive consistent after-school meals and snacks.
Elevate Indianapolis — $20,000
Guided by the belief that “No one gets there alone,” Elevate Indianapolis pairs students with long-term Teacher-Mentors who walk alongside them through middle and high school. These relationships provide steady support through academic, social, and emotional development during formative years. This investment supports the creation of a welcoming “third space” where students can gather, build relationships, and experience belonging beyond home and school.
St. Luke’s United Methodist Church — $20,000
Through its expansion of the Children’s Defense Fund Freedom Schools® program, St. Luke’s is increasing access to six weeks of literacy-rich, relationship-centered learning for elementary students. The program blends academic enrichment with social-emotional development and family engagement, creating a holistic approach to early learning. This investment helps ensure more children experience a safe, supportive environment where literacy growth is paired with confidence-building relationships and a deeper sense of belonging—foundations that support long-term educational success.
Outreach, Inc. — $20,000
Outreach, Inc. serves young people experiencing homelessness by meeting immediate needs while supporting long-term stability. Its Near Eastside drop-in center provides meals, showers, laundry, computers, case management, and a consistent community of care grounded in dignity and trust. This investment strengthens housing navigation, diversion, and triage services so more young people can secure stable housing before homelessness becomes chronic.
We Bloom — $20,000
We Bloom creates safe recovery spaces for individuals to heal, grow, and build community, recognizing that recovery and stability are deeply rooted in belonging and connection. This investment supports a trauma-informed recovery community at Recovery Café Indy, including a queer-affirming group, where participants can reduce isolation, process trauma, and rebuild social connection.
Indiana Youth Group (IYG) — $15,000
Indiana Youth Group provides affirming spaces where LGBTQ+ youth can find safety, support, and community amid significant barriers such as family rejection, housing instability, and limited access to resources. This investment expands mental health counseling and case management services, helping young people navigate complex systems while strengthening emotional well-being and social connectedness.
Tu Refugio Seguro — $10,000
Tu Refugio Seguro supports Spanish-speaking women and families impacted by domestic violence through culturally responsive care and pathways toward healing and economic stability. The organization addresses critical gaps for individuals navigating language, cultural, and systemic barriers. This investment expands trauma-informed leadership training across six congregations, equipping faith leaders and volunteers to recognize and respond to domestic violence and connect individuals to support.
By investing in organizations already doing effective work, Faith & Action seeks to strengthen a broader ecosystem of practice—one in which successful approaches are shared, adapted, and sustained across organizations and communities working toward common goals.
“We want to do more than invest in individual programs,” Rabinowitch said. “By elevating what is working, we hope to help build a community where effective practices are shared and where more individuals and families have access to the relationships, resources, and opportunities they need to thrive.”
About the Faith & Action Project
Christian Theological Seminary’s Faith & Action Project serves as a catalyst for action to move people out of poverty, by educating, empowering and supporting Greater Indianapolis’ faith and community leaders. Through annual public events and grants, the Faith & Action Project seeks to ignite a solution-oriented movement for inclusive well-being in our community. The Faith & Action Project is made possible through the generosity of individual donors and the support of the Mike and Sue Smith Family Fund, The Indianapolis Foundation, The Nicholas H. Noyes, Jr., Memorial Foundation, Lumina Foundation and the Petticrew Foundation.
About Christian Theological Seminary
Christian Theological Seminary (CTS) is a fully accredited ecumenical graduate school open to all with historic roots in the Christian Church (Disciples of Christ. CTS offers master’s and doctoral degree programs through its School of Theology and School of Counseling, accessible mental health services through the Counseling Center, and collaboration to address systemic social justice issues through the Faith & Action Project.
Stephanie Seeger
Christian Theological Seminary
sseeger@cts.edu
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