Activate! – WFHB

Indiana University Dance Marathon is a student-run organization raising money for Riley Hospital for Children in Indianapolis. IU Dance Marathon was founded in 1991 and is the second-largest student-run philanthropy in the world, having raised more than 60 million dollars for pediatric research and patient care. IU students come together through fundraising events and volunteer opportunities throughout the year, but the main event is this weekend at the Tennis Center in Bloomington, with opening ceremonies Thursday evening followed by 36 hours straight of nonstop dancing before the big reveal of this year’s fundraising total Saturday morning. IU senior Tessa Hoffman has participated all four years of her college experience and says it’s not too late for YOU to help raise money for Riley.

Activate! is a partnership between WFHB and the City of Bloomington Volunteer Network, working together to build a strong, healthy and engaged community. You can learn more about volunteer opportunities in the WFHB listening area at https://www.bloomingtonvolunteernetwork.org/ or by emailing getconnected@bloomington.in.gov.

This episode of Activate! was produced by Angela Cox
through WFHB’s partnership with The Media School at Indiana University

The new coordinator of the Bloomington Volunteer Network has a challenge for us: 100,000 hours of community service this year. Aubrey Seader was raised in a family that normalized volunteering as a natural part of everyday life. Now she runs our town’s central hub for local volunteer opportunities, from food pantries to the arts and everything in between. Whether you want to volunteer one time or on a regular basis, Aubrey has plenty of ways for YOU to give back.

Activate! is a partnership between WFHB and the City of Bloomington Volunteer Network, working together to build a strong, healthy and engaged community. You can learn more about volunteer opportunities in the WFHB listening area at https://www.bloomingtonvolunteernetwork.org/ or by emailing getconnected@bloomington.in.gov.

This episode of Activate! was produced by Aaralyn Mills
through WFHB’s partnership with The Media School at Indiana University

Crafting can be a fun way to pass time and express creativity. Madi Russ took her love for crafting and turned it into a way to make an impact on others. Crafts for a Cause is a new club at Indiana University, where students get together and create a variety of crafts, like bracelets and bag charms, that then get sold as a way to raise money for a bunch of different health issues, like multiple sclerosis – a condition Madi’s mom has struggled with Madi’s whole life.

Activate! is a partnership between WFHB and the City of Bloomington Volunteer Network, working together to build a strong, healthy and engaged community. You can learn more about volunteer opportunities in the WFHB listening area at https://www.bloomingtonvolunteernetwork.org/ or by emailing getconnected@bloomington.in.gov.

This episode of Activate! was produced by Camryn Guilfoy
through WFHB’s partnership with The Media School at Indiana University

For Janet Sutherlin, the Monroe County Special Olympics are family. She first got involved when her great-nephew signed up to compete, and now she feels like all the athletes are her kids. Special Olympics provides year-round sports training and athletic competition in a variety of sports for children and adults with intellectual disabilities. Janet says what happens off the playing field is just as important – life lessons in courage and sportsmanship.

Activate! is a partnership between WFHB and the City of Bloomington Volunteer Network, working together to build a strong, healthy and engaged community. You can learn more about volunteer opportunities in the WFHB listening area at https://www.bloomingtonvolunteernetwork.org/ or by emailing getconnected@bloomington.in.gov.

This episode of Activate! was produced by Becca Carani
through WFHB’s partnership with The Media School at Indiana University

Susie’s Place is a child advocacy center with locations in Bloomington, Avon and Terre Haute. Before Susie’s Place, kids who were victims of a crime or witness to a crime lacked a cohesive response. Well-meaning detectives, police officers, caseworkers and prosecutors didn’t have one single place to come together, so kids found themselves telling and re-telling their traumatic experience in a confusing, disconnected, and sometimes scary maze of services. Rebekah Bauer has spent her entire career in that system. She’s a trained forensic interviewer providing a safe and supportive environment for children to speak about abuse, neglect, and other crimes. Find out more about Rebekah’s work and how you can support Susie’s Place.

Activate! is a partnership between WFHB and the City of Bloomington Volunteer Network, working together to build a strong, healthy and engaged community. You can learn more about volunteer opportunities in the WFHB listening area at https://www.bloomingtonvolunteernetwork.org/ or by emailing getconnected@bloomington.in.gov.

This episode of Activate! was produced by Ben Winn
through WFHB’s partnership with The Media School at Indiana University

You might not think of Brown County as a hotbed of queer culture. But Nashville, Indiana is an artist colony, and the hosts of Brown County Pride point out that LGBTQ+ folks have always been part of the art community. The same group who runs the monthly “Big Queer Hangout” social mixer are now launching Brown County’s first-ever public pride event, Saturday September 26 at the Brown County Inn in downtown Nashville. Organizer Bethany Hohman runs us through the full menu for Saturday’s historic gathering.

Activate! is a partnership between WFHB and the City of Bloomington Volunteer Network, working together to build a strong, healthy and engaged community. You can learn more about volunteer opportunities in the WFHB listening area at https://www.bloomingtonvolunteernetwork.org/ or by emailing getconnected@bloomington.in.gov.

The Bloomington art scene is diverse, but there is one local arts alliance to bring all artists together and support their work. Pillar Arts is a resource hub for all locals interested in creating art or just volunteering to help with art classes, music performances, theater camps, and more. Pillar Arts has two local hubs – one in College Mall and one in Fountain Square. Henry Leck got involved with Pillar Arts back when it was called the Arts Alliance of Greater Bloomington, and he currently serves as vice president. Henry says there are plenty of ways YOU can plug into the Bloomington arts community.

Activate! is a partnership between WFHB and the City of Bloomington Volunteer Network, working together to build a strong, healthy and engaged community. You can learn more about volunteer opportunities in the WFHB listening area at https://www.bloomingtonvolunteernetwork.org/ or by emailing getconnected@bloomington.in.gov.

This episode of Activate! was produced by Carolina Pierce
through WFHB’s partnership with The Media School at Indiana University

Eating healthy can be expensive. Families on a tight budget might buy cheaper food that isn’t really good for them. Food policy expert Megan Betz has spent years researching food studies and working with local food programs like Community Kitchen and the Bloomington Community Orchard. She also helped start the People’s Cooperative Market, an alternative farmers’ market in Bloomington focused on food justice. Megan is the president and CEO of Mother Hubbard’s Cupboard, working to increase access to healthy food in ways that cultivate dignity, agency and community. Locals call it “The Hub,” and Megan wants you to get involved.

Activate! is a partnership between WFHB and the City of Bloomington Volunteer Network, working together to build a strong, healthy and engaged community. You can learn more about volunteer opportunities in the WFHB listening area at https://www.bloomingtonvolunteernetwork.org/ or by emailing getconnected@bloomington.in.gov.

This episode of Activate! was produced by Elakai Anela
through WFHB’s partnership with The Media School at Indiana University

Lake Monroe is Bloomington’s only source of drinking water, but no government agency is directly responsible for its health. There are 9,000 septic systems in the lake watershed, and some of them are old and leaking. Then there’s contamination from fertilizer runoff. Erosion sends both problems into the lake’s waters, and solving these problems takes money. The Lake Monroe Water Fund is a financial platform for raising money for lake protection and spending it wisely. There are only 13 water funds in the United States, and only one in Indiana. Lake Monroe Water Fund founder and board president Jane Martin and executive director Michelle Cohen explain how you can protect Lake Monroe.

Activate! is a partnership between WFHB and the City of Bloomington Volunteer Network, working together to build a strong, healthy and engaged community. You can learn more about volunteer opportunities in the WFHB listening area at https://www.bloomingtonvolunteernetwork.org/ or by emailing getconnected@bloomington.in.gov.

This episode of Activate! was produced by Thomas Nicholson
through WFHB’s partnership with The Media School at Indiana University

If you call Debbie Fish a nag, she might take it as a compliment. Debbie is a persistent taskmaster with an eye for detail, skills that make her a perfect fit for CASA – that’s Court Appointed Special Advocates. Volunteers at Monroe County CASA advocate for children caught up in the local court system, often due to abuse or neglect. You don’t have to be a lawyer to help; you just have to listen and care…and maybe do a little nagging. Debbie says the waitlist is too long for kids who need a Court Appointed Special Advocate.

Activate! is a partnership between WFHB and the City of Bloomington Volunteer Network, working together to build a strong, healthy and engaged community. You can learn more about volunteer opportunities in the WFHB listening area at https://www.bloomingtonvolunteernetwork.org/ or by emailing getconnected@bloomington.in.gov.

This episode of Activate! was produced by Ben Walter
through WFHB’s partnership with The Media School at Indiana University

The annual Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. birthday celebration happens in January, but in Bloomington a small group of dedicated volunteers work year-round to build what King called the “beloved community.” The Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Birthday Celebration Commission is an official City of Bloomington board promoting justice, racial harmony, and equal opportunity. Brittany Talissa King is a writer who is passionate about exploring American racial issues, including through her online magazine American Shade. As a King Commission member Brittany is now working with the Monroe County NAACP to launch an education project to cultivate understanding and leadership among local students, inspired by the Freedom Schools of the 1960s.

Activate! is a partnership between WFHB and the City of Bloomington Volunteer Network, working together to build a strong, healthy and engaged community. You can learn more about volunteer opportunities in the WFHB listening area at https://www.bloomingtonvolunteernetwork.org/ or by emailing getconnected@bloomington.in.gov.

This episode of Activate! was produced by Juliet Mueller, Virginia Balkcom, Holly Mullins, Matt Fonseca and Cameron Lincoln
as part of the High School Journalism Institute

South Central Community Action Program helps low-income families struggling with poverty. Their Head Start program provides free pre-K childcare with a focus on families that need that support so that the parents can go to work. Family advocates provide wraparound services to support client families and can connect them to other SCCAP services. Head Start engagement coordinator Alissa Weiss say fall registration for Head Start is now open, and she also needs volunteers to help with fall programs. Find out how you can utilize SCCAP programming or help keep it going for those who need it most.

Activate! is a partnership between WFHB and the City of Bloomington Volunteer Network, working together to build a strong, healthy and engaged community. You can learn more about volunteer opportunities in the WFHB listening area at https://www.bloomingtonvolunteernetwork.org/ or by emailing getconnected@bloomington.in.gov.

This episode of Activate! was produced by Jory Abrams, Julian Rogers, Abel Habib and Jonathan Josefy
as part of the High School Journalism Institute

The Front Door is about to open. Bloomington is getting its first off-campus hub for local queer culture when The Front Door Community Center opens later this year at 122 S. College in the heart of downtown. Organizers say The Front Door is a safe and sober space to support LGBTIQ+ organizations and social groups and engage in social justice and education opportunities. Board president Melanie Davis says The Front Door can be whatever you want it to be – and NOW is the time to get involved and make your voice heard.

This episode of Activate! was produced by Braiden Brummett, Brady Grunkemeyer, Stites Hamner, and Landon Tuell
as part of the High School Journalism Institute

United Way of South Central Indiana is the non-profit that helps other non-profits. All United Way agencies receive vital support from this umbrella organization, which also provides direct-to-the-public services like their popular annual tax preparation program. Local businesses conduct fundraising campaigns to support United Way, but individual support through donations and volunteer time is also welcome and critical. Executive Director Randy Rogers shares ways you can support many good causes by supporting United Way.

Activate! is a partnership between WFHB and the City of Bloomington Volunteer Network, working together to build a strong, healthy and engaged community. You can learn more about volunteer opportunities in the WFHB listening area at https://www.bloomingtonvolunteernetwork.org/ or by emailing getconnected@bloomington.in.gov.

This episode of Activate! was produced by Henry Samson and Cameron Duerr
as part of the High School Journalism Institute

Hoosier Hills Food Bank serves six counties across southern Indiana, working with local agencies to make sure neighbors don’t have to choose between groceries, utilities, or medicine. Associate Director and Chief Administrative Officer Jake Bruner says they distribute between five and seven million pounds of food each year, with at least a quarter of that being fresh produce. Jake is calling on YOU to help take the hunger out of poverty.

Activate! is a partnership between WFHB and the City of Bloomington Volunteer Network, working together to build a strong, healthy and engaged community. You can learn more about volunteer opportunities in the WFHB listening area at https://www.bloomingtonvolunteernetwork.org/ or by emailing getconnected@bloomington.in.gov.

This episode of Activate! was produced by Tyson Matlock
through WFHB’s partnership with The Media School at Indiana University

Healing Hands Outreach Center started in a closet at City Church in 2009, helping maybe 50 fifty people that year. Today Healing Hands has its own storefront on the south side of Bloomington, and last year they helped nearly 50,000. Their focus is on basic needs assistance – things like food, clothing, and household items. Healing Hands is open to anyone, and director Heidi Brown says they mostly see people struggling with poverty and housing insecurity. Along the way Brown has witnessed some incredible stories of impact, including a family of refugees from Afghanistan. Brown relies on donors and volunteers to keep this essential community service going.

Activate! is a partnership between WFHB and the City of Bloomington Volunteer Network, working together to build a strong, healthy and engaged community. You can learn more about volunteer opportunities in the WFHB listening area at https://www.bloomingtonvolunteernetwork.org/ or by emailing getconnected@bloomington.in.gov.

This episode of Activate! was produced by Jack Muniz
through WFHB’s partnership with The Media School at Indiana University

Take nothing but pictures, leave nothing but footprints, kill nothing but time. That’s the slogan of the Bloomington Indiana Grotto, the local chapter of a national organization for people who love caves – exploring them, and protecting them. Bloomington sits atop a karst landscape – that means lots of caverns, sinkholes, and underground streams. These limestone labyrinths make for some exciting caving – but it’s not safe to try it alone and unprepared. Members of the Bloomington Indiana Grotto are volunteers who can teach you about techniques and equipment, safe caving practices, cave science, and good conservation ethics. Bill Baus is a longtime member who was instrumental in reclaiming Buckner Cave from graffiti and litter.

Activate! is a partnership between WFHB and the City of Bloomington Volunteer Network, working together to build a strong, healthy and engaged community. You can learn more about volunteer opportunities in the WFHB listening area at https://www.bloomingtonvolunteernetwork.org/ or by emailing getconnected@bloomington.in.gov.

https://caves.org/convention/2026-nss-convention/

This episode of Activate! was produced by Henry Holloway
through WFHB’s partnership with The Media School at Indiana University

The Bloomington chapter of Meals on Wheels has been serving homebound locals for over 50 years. Historically many of those clients are elderly – seniors who cannot shop or cook for themselves. But Meals on Wheels isn’t aged-based; they also serve people with a chronic illness or a disability or injury. Carrie McHaley is the executive director of Bloomington Meals on Wheels. She says the impact goes beyond nutrition – it’s about human connection. For some clients that volunteer bringing a hot meal might be the only person they see or talk to that day, and having someone checking on you might just save your life. Carrie shares a great example of that.

Activate! is a partnership between WFHB and the City of Bloomington Volunteer Network, working together to build a strong, healthy and engaged community. You can learn more about volunteer opportunities in the WFHB listening area at https://www.bloomingtonvolunteernetwork.org/ or by emailing getconnected@bloomington.in.gov.

This episode of Activate! was produced by Jack Reeves
through WFHB’s partnership with The Media School at Indiana University

When Greg Janowiak moved to Bloomington in late 2024 he found connection in an unexpected place: a non-profit bike shop. The Bloomington Community Bike Project is a volunteer-run space where anyone can stop in, use professional tools, get help with repairs, and maybe even earn a free bike by volunteering. Greg says the group does more than fix flats; volunteers build relationships and sometimes help change the direction of someone’s life simply by showing up.

Activate! is a partnership between WFHB and the City of Bloomington Volunteer Network, working together to build a strong, healthy and engaged community. You can learn more about volunteer opportunities in the WFHB listening area at https://www.bloomingtonvolunteernetwork.org/ or by emailing getconnected@bloomington.in.gov.

This episode of Activate! was produced by Ethan Poto
through WFHB’s partnership with The Media School at Indiana University

Windfall Dancers is a Bloomington-based nonprofit dance company that believes movement is more than performance. Managing director Andrea Kleesattel says it’s about connection; through classes, workshops, and community collaborations, Andrea invites people of all ages and abilities to move, create, and belong. Learn how to volunteer at Windfall or utilize their programming, including dance scholarships for teens!

Activate! is a partnership between WFHB and the City of Bloomington Volunteer Network, working together to build a strong, healthy and engaged community. You can learn more about volunteer opportunities in the WFHB listening area at https://www.bloomingtonvolunteernetwork.org/ or by emailing getconnected@bloomington.in.gov.

This episode of Activate! was produced by Ashanti Snodgrass
through WFHB’s partnership with The Media School at Indiana University