CARMEL, IN – Synergize, the Carmel-based professional community whose members give back to local organizations, held their first 4:30 Meetup of 2023 on February 28. The group gathered at the Turner Jeffrey Building on Range Line Road to support ProAct Indy.
ProAct is an Indianapolis non-profit committed to “standing in the gap for vulnerable populations while empowering youth to transform their communities.” “We help people see people as people,” said CEO and Founder Derrin Slack, who spoke at the event. “When I was a kid, someone – a teacher – saw me. And that changed everything.”
Slack founded ProAct in 2013, inspired by a mission trip he took to Botswana, Africa in college. By facilitating partnerships between non-profits, businesses, and students, Derrin and his team have served over 30,000 people in the Indianapolis area since the organization’s inception.
ProAct leads students who are normally the beneficiaries of community service projects through cohort programs that give them the tools, skills, and relationships to become the creators of the projects themselves.
In addition to helping students, ProAct also works with corporations to design and carry out thoughtful, intentional service programs for employees, and other non-profits to connect them with engaged local volunteers.
ProAct’s emphasis on intentional service aligns perfectly with Synergize. “Our mission attracts people who love serving their communities,” says Synergize’s Director of Marketing, Heather Hunter. “But service is a learned behavior. ProAct is helping people of all ages learn how to help those around them in a genuine way.”
Each of Synergize’s 4:30 Meetups benefits a different non-profit organization with a local impact. This month, Synergize donated over $3,000 to ProAct from a combination of member dues, member donations, and event ticket sales.
For more information on Synergize, including upcoming 4:30 Meetup dates and beneficiaries, subscribe to the group’s newsletter at https://bit.ly/SynergizeNewsletter. To learn more about ProAct, visit proactindy.org.