A native of South Bend, Dave Withey and his wife had settled in Indy to be in proximity to both sets of parents. Throughout his professional career, Dave never recognized the level of challenges that so many older adults and those with disabilities face in maintaining their homes. As Dave explains, he and his family lived in a nice area of Indianapolis away from lower income and distressed areas. The duties of career and raising a family were his priorities.
After retiring from Eli Lilly at age 55, Dave's perspective began to evolve. First he took a year off to vacation, kayak, and do many things he hadn't had time for during his career years.
Then he asked himself ‘what do I want to do next?' “I was bored, and looking for something with purpose,” Dave explains.
Doing handyman work seemed appealing to Dave. Unlike his first worklife, this one was much more tactile and easy to see progress and change. Dave started volunteering for neighbors and friends. If he didn’t know how to do something, he would research the problem on YouTube or by consulting with other more handy connections.
He noticed that when he fixed a toilet or replaced a lock or broken window that those he had helped were effusive in their gratitude. His efforts made a positive difference in their safety and security. This made Dave want to do more. As time went on, Dave realized that a gap within Indianapolis’ social services left low-income homeowners, specifically older adults and those with disabilities, at risk of losing their home or being unable to age in place. “There was so much need, and so few resources,” he says.
This epiphany was accompanied by a sense of shame. “I was embarrassed that I hadn't known this. During all of my time living in Indy, I had been totally unaware of the extent of the need,” he says.
Determined and motivated, Dave's commitment grew. He teamed up with other volunteers and began coordinating projects for various church groups.
As the work continued and the projects multiplied, Dave asked himself “How can we serve more homeowners who don't have the means or the ability to do these things themselves?” He envisioned an organization that could coordinate and could manage resources to provide services more efficiently and effectively.
Dave took a field trip to Fort Wayne to check out an agency named NeighborLink. He was impressed with what he found and the resources they offered to share. The Fort Wayne organization made available its IT expertise as well as policies, procedures, legal work and branding.
Dave conveyed his enthusiasm and the budding organization idea to Tom Hawkins and Jeannette Jefferis. Both had done volunteer work with him over the years. In a fortunate stroke of serendipity, both were also newly retired.
In June 2013, NeighborLink Indianapolis Foundation, Inc. was established. Dave, Tom, and Jeannette met in Dave's house around his dining room table that first year. They recruited volunteers to do call-backs to individuals seeking assistance.
“The 2013 budget was $5,000. We asked ourselves, 'what can we provide?’ In time the three of us grew to be five or six,” recalls Dave. “From there, volunteerism has grown exponentially to this day.”
At the outset, the organization was limited in the scope of projects that it was able to tackle. An emphasis was put on helping homeowners with citations from The Marion County Public Health Department to prevent them from incurring fines, or at worst, losing their home. In that first year, NeighborLink Indianapolis received 60 requests for assistance.
Since day one, volunteerism has been at the heart of the organization’s success. “What keeps our volunteers coming back is the human interaction they have with the homeowners. They touch lives and witness the benefits of their work first hand,” Dave says.
Dave points with pride to the trust that NLI volunteers establish with the homeowners. He notes that it is not easy for many folks to allow someone new into their home.
In 2023, more than 700 individuals volunteered with NLI. This included 50 organizations from corporations, businesses, churches, service clubs, and colleges. Last year, 42% of volunteers were Gen Z. Dave sees the influx of younger volunteers as a very encouraging sign.
As it has grown, NLI, now Home Repairs for Good, has added limited paid staff as needed. Dave served as unpaid Executive Director for years, until stepping back in 2021 with the appointment of Rachel Nelson. He continues to serve on the Board, assists with exploring new funding streams, and is an active member of the crew that repairs and installs gutters. Tom Hawkins continues to serve on the board as well. Jeannette Jefferis volunteers as a Citations Manager and is often seen directing a group of painting volunteers.
Home Repairs for Good completed 940 projects in 2023. In 2024, funding from the Federal Home Loan Bank’s Affordable Housing Program enabled Home Repairs for Good to focus more dollars and efforts on 25 homes for the purpose of home stabilization.
Over the years, Home Repairs for Good has become an indispensable part of the social safety net for the City of Indianapolis. As of July, 2024, NeighborLink Indianapolis has rebranded to “Home Repairs for Good.” The name succinctly summarizes the purpose and vision that Dave Withey had in mind in 2013. “Home Repairs for Good” embodies the goal of the continuing journey to enable older adults and those with disabilities to age in place safely in their own homes.