Last week gave us two special moments that show what community is all about—one in the kitchen at Second Helpings and another along the Monon in Carmel.

Lending a Hand at Second Helpings

We spent the morning volunteering at Second Helpings, helping prepare meals for neighbors in need. Together we packed 1,730 sandwiches, chopped fresh produce, and assisted in preparing 600 meals—more than 2,300 meals going right back into the Indianapolis community.

Second Helpings rescues nearly 4 million pounds of food every year, turning it into healthy meals and providing culinary job training for people working toward a fresh start. None of that happens without volunteers, and it’s always powerful to see what happens when we step outside the office and give our time to the community together.

If you’d like to learn more or sign up to volunteer, visit secondhelpings.org.

Butterflies on the Monon

Just a few hours later, we celebrated the unveiling of Butterflies on the Monon, a mosaic created by local artist Nancy Keating with the help of Carmel residents. Through a Chip-In Mosaic project during Meet Me on Main, neighbors added their own small pieces of glass and tile to bring the artwork to life.

The mosaic now brightens the wall at Midtown Flats—one of our J.C. Hart communities—right along the Monon Greenway. At the unveiling, our Midtown Flats team welcomed neighbors with butterfly cookies and water. Both Mayor Sue Finkam and Nancy shared thanks for J.C. Hart’s support of the arts in Carmel. As Nancy shared, she hopes the butterflies will bring smiles to everyone passing by.

Butterflies on the Monon – Midtown Flats, Carmel

If you’re out on the Monon, stop by Midtown Flats to check out the butterflies—and while you’re there, take a look at the community we’re so proud to call one of ours.

Two Different Moments, One Common Thread

From preparing meals at Second Helpings to unveiling a mosaic at Midtown Flats, both experiences came down to the same thing: people working side by side to build something good.