CIRCLE CITY FELLOWS

2022 Annual Report

A letter from our Executive Director

 “For the Lord God is our sun and our shield. He gives us grace and glory. The Lord will withhold no good thing from those who do what is right…what joy for those who trust in you.” Psalm 84:11-12

Over the past year, a phrase based off this verse in Psalm 84 has become particularly significant to me: “God will bring His goodness to bear.”  It’s a phrase that speaks of God’s promise to be good to us as His children… to bring gifts to us that God knows we need as we journey with Him in this life.  This phrase calls me to watch for how His goodness will come to bear in the moments that I find myself in.

Specifically for CCF, it has been another year of seeing God’s gracious goodness come to bear!  God has brought it in a myriad of ways:

  • Graduating a group of 8 Fellows in the Class of 2022 and initiating the new Class of 2023 with 5 Fellows within this COVID-changed world was a clear sign of God’s goodness to us - both classes filled with outstanding young adults committed to God’s mission of love in this world.

  • Seeing the execution of our Class of 2022 Professional Projects where God’s goodness was shared beyond the bounds of CCF into the workplaces and communities of greater Indianapolis.

  • Completing another year “in the black” financially through the generosity of our donors and the ability to keep our expenses steady.

  • Bringing new Board members to serve in place of those who rolled off after their seasons with us were complete.

  • Continuing to be graced with the presence of key city leaders sharing with our Fellows at our Forum Days and then being blessed with new leaders who joined us for the first time!

  • Participating in the emerging CityGate Network as a leading Fellows program for other cities to learn from and be connected to.

  • Being offered the incredible opportunity to be the beneficiary of the 46th Annual Crabbie Open Golf Outing!  This gift of God’s goodness is maybe the most unexpected in our short years of existence.

Each of these and more highlight how God brought God’s goodness to bear to us as an organization and thus to us as people who are part of Circle City Fellows. As one translation of Psalm 84:11 says, “He is so generous with his gifts of grace and glory. Those who walk along his paths with integrity will never lack one thing they need, for he provides it all! LORD Almighty, what joy fills those who forever trust in you.”

We hope you will join us in thanksgiving and joy for all of these generous gifts of God’s grace and glory, all of these ways, and more as shared in this Annual Report, that God has indeed brought His goodness to bear! Indeed it is joy as we have trusted in Him and continue to trust!

With gratitude,

Dr. David A. Bell,
Executive Director, Circle City Fellows

2022 HIGHLIGHTS

  • New Class

  • Commissioned 8 Graduates in May 2022

  • Welcomed 5 new Fellows in September 2022

  • New Board Members - name, work, anecdote about CCF

    • Sarah Crosby, Attorney and Principal, Law Office of Sarah Crosby 

      • Sarah was a member of Circle City Fellows’ Class of 2021.  Her experience as a Fellow is an invaluable addition to our Board as well as her background in law.

    • Mike Bolinder, Life Sciences Executive with multiple companies 

      • Mike comes to CCF with a background as an Executive in the life sciences where he passionately engaged his faith in his workplace.

NEW CLASS OF FELLOWS

Commissioned 8 Graduates in May 2022

Welcomed 5 new Fellows in September 2022

2022 Highlights

NEW BOARD MEMBERS

SARAH CROSBY

Sarah was a member of Circle City Fellows’ Class of 2021. Her experience as a Fellow is an invaluable addition to our Board as well as her background in law.

MIKE BOLINDER

Mike comes to CCF with a background as an Executive in the life sciences where he passionately engaged his faith in his workplace.

2022 Highlights

SATURDAY FORUMS

During Saturday forums Fellows learn about what is happening in the city of Indianapolis from key leaders in different sectors. Two key questions we ask ourselves during Saturday forums are: "What makes a thriving city?" "What's your next right step to contribute to that thriving?

Speaker List for 2022

  • Dr. Aleesia Johnson, Superintendent of Indianapolis Public Schools

  • Shannon Williams of The Mind Trust

  • Darius Sawyers, Principal at Paramount Englewood 

  • Anthony Beverly of Stop the Violence

  • Chief Randall Taylor, IMPD

  • Joe Bowling of Englewood Community Development Cooperation

  • Bill and Joanna Taft of LISC and The Harrison Center for the Arts respectively

  • Brad Beaubien of Visit Indy

  • Ontay Johnson, Senior Advisor, Child Advocates

  • Maggie Lewis, Majority Leader of the Indianapolis City Council and CEO of Boys & Girls Clubs of Indianapolis

  • Beatrice Beverly of Genesys Solutions

  • Angela White-Randolph of AKWR Solutions

  • Dr. Dawn Haut, CEO of Eskenazi Health Centers

  • Dr. Deanna Reinoso, CPE Eskenazi Pecar Health Center

  • Dr. Ashley Overley, CEO & Vice President, Eskenazi Mental Health Center

2022 Highlights

 FINANCES

Over $105,000 given in 2022 so far with an additional $11,000 pledged.

 Challenges

  • Recruiting was a challenge once again this year due to the impact of COVID.

  • Expanding the diverse & inclusive footprint of both our Fellows Class and Board continues to have its challenges. 

  • Developing our partnerships with Businesses and Organizations were impacted by the current economic situation we all find ourselves in.

Our Leadership

Our Current Church Partners

Organizational Partners

Financial Operations Report 2021-2022

Our fiscal year runs July to June.  For 2021-2022 we celebrate the following:

  • A Matching Gift of $10,000 raised to $15,000 by our Board that was matched with an additional $5,000 by generous donors providing a $20,000 jump start to our year in September 2021.

  • Over $9,000 in End-of-Year Donations

  • $20,000 invested by three Church Partners

  • The faithful recurring donations of 27  donors supporting CCF on a monthly basis with over $2,500 invested in our work.

  • Met Budget through an Income Surplus coupled with under-spending with Expenses thus ending the year in the black.

  • Created a reserve for CCF through $21,000 raised by The 46th Annual Crabbie Open Golf Outing, of which CCF was the beneficiary this July 2022.

Class of 2022 Professional Development Project Goals

  • My professional project goal was to increase awareness of other Easterseals programs the Pathways Team and Employment Services can refer participants to.

  • Create a conversation starter about how to use and consume social media in a positive way. 

  • My professional project is to better learn about the needs of my first time home buyers directly from them and create helpful information where it does not already exist.

  • My professional project was to help one of my teams rebuild psychological safety so the team, and they individually, can thrive.  

  • Develop a group within Citizens that creates opportunities for young professionals to connect relationally and learn from one another while pursuing personal and professional growth.

  • My goal was to create a culture of inclusion and develop relationships with my coworkers, students, and their families through a representative library of books used in literacy-based therapy that are accessible to my students and their families as Loom read-aloud videos through my Google classroom.

  • My professional project is to help build better futures not only by providing employment to our external teammates but also provide them with the tools needed to combat barriers faced by the underserved communities and allow them to be successful in their careers.