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The Neighborhood
The neighborhood we serve is bounded by Rural Street on the west, Sherman Drive on the east, 21st Street on the north and Michigan Street on the south, with most of our participants coming from Census Tract 3526. According to the 2000 census, that tract’s over 5,800 residents are approximately 48% white, 39% African-American and 13% Hispanic (compared to Marion County in general, which is 62% white, 27% African-American and 11% Hispanic). We are located in one of the areas in Marion County with the highest rates of total crimes reported, youth victims of crime and child molestation (according to 2003 IPD crime report data), teenage mothers (according to 2002 birth data), adults without a high school education (according to 2000 census data) and food stamp and Medicaid recipients under the age of 19 (according to 2000 welfare data).
The 2000 Census and the 2005 Indianapolis Uniform Crime report data reveals that our service area has the lowest median household income and the highest rate of total crime, assaults, Food Stamps and Medicaid recipients. In our service area, 26.3 percent of all households consist of a single mother raising her children alone; 39.9 percent of adults over 25 do not have a high school education; and the median household income (typically a family of 4) is $28,630.
The problems faced by the children and youth of this area are alien to most of us and sometimes seem insurmountable. Few programs exist to help these youngsters; no other free after school program is available within a one to two-mile radius, although plenty of liquor stores and drug dealers can be found. The need is clear.
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