Dave Withey, Founder and Executive Director of NeighborLink Indianapolis Foundation (NLI) will step down from that position September 1, 2021. Withey started NLI in 2013 shortly after retiring from a career in IT with Lilly. A few helpful home repairs for neighbors led to his realization that a gap within Indianapolis’ social services left low-income homeowners, specifically seniors and those with disabilities, at risk of losing their home or being unable to age in place. Withey recruited several other recent retirees to help establish the organization and in their first year completed 60 projects using their own labor and dollars. The end of 2020 marked a completion of more than 3,000 projects, the hiring of five employees, and a budget of half a million dollars from grants and donations.
“We’re on the verge of saying we could make this a permanent part of the social safety net for the city of Indianapolis if we can manage the resources to do that. From retirement to here, that’s what I’m all about,” Withey says. He adds, with a chuckle, “I want to make that happen before I get too old and need someone to come help me at my house.”
NeighborLink Indianapolis’ five year plan enables the organization to be on track to doubling the amount of homeowners served by the end of 2022. Withey plans on taking more of an advisory role in the organization and enjoying the more occasional repair projects rather than the pace he’s been running the last eight years.
The board of directors and the leadership of NeighborLink Indianapolis have appointed Rachel Nelson as the next Executive Director for the organization. She will move into her role after serving the organization first as volunteer, then as board member and most recently as the Director of External Affairs & Communications.