INDIANAPOLIS — Mayor Joe Hogsett recently joined Director of Community Violence Reduction Shonna Majors as well as other city and community leaders to kick off the first night of Safe Summer. This expansion of Safe Saturdays, first announced last month, will fund safe and productive activities for youth ages 13 and older at Indy Parks and community partners from July 5 – August 10.
Safe Summer will provide safe spaces for youth along with food and a host of free activities, including open mic nights, basketball and kickball, games of pool and foosball, video and board games, conflict resolution workshops, movie nights, an end of summer dance, barbecues, and much more.
Safe Summer will take place weekly at the following Indy Parks and community partner locations. Special events and activities that may take place throughout the summer will be announced on twitter at @IndyOPHS.
• Frederick Douglass Park: 7-10 pm Fridays & 12-3 pm Saturdays
• Windsor Village Park: 8-11 pm Fridays
• Bethel Park: 12-3 pm Saturdays
• Boys and Girls Club, 3870 N. Post Rd.: Fridays 7-11pm
• VOICES, 1415 Shelby St.: 7-11pm Fridays
• Mackida Lovell and Trip, 3616 N. Sherman Dr.: Fridays 7-10pm
Also announced was a $10,000 donation from the Central Indiana Community Foundation (CICF). Thanks to this contribution and those of other community partners, Safe Summer will provide free spaces and activities for youth at no additional cost to taxpayers.
Safe Summer also includes targeted neighborhood walks on Saturday nights in areas like Castleton and Downtown that see increased youth activity. Community members interested in volunteering with Safe Summer can e-mail OPHS@indy.gov.