Housing nonprofit to table at upcoming jam band show at Hi-Fi Annex

INDIANAPOLIS — Concerts are a time to bring people together, giving fans of a particular musician/band from near and far the chance to descend on a concert venue and bask in the power of live music.

For Horizon House, a local nonprofit, an upcoming concert at the Hi-Fi Annex is allowing the organization to expose its mission to fans of live music, and specifically, in this case, jam bands.

Representatives from Horizon House will be on hand for Tuesday’s Spafford concert at the Hi-Fi Annex. The well-known jam band, along with Indiana-based jam-fusion band Mycota, will begin at 6:45 p.m. at the venue, located behind the Hi-Fi in the Fountain Square neighborhood.

According to its website, Horizon House supports “neighbors experiencing homelessness with integrated, comprehensive services so they can secure and maintain housing.” The nonprofit has been in the Indianapolis area for more than 35 years and is now affiliated with Goodwill of Central and Southern Indiana.

“Horizon House will serve as Central Indiana’s champion, expert and trusted leader in placing chronically homeless neighbors into permanent, safe (and) supportive housing so they can thrive,” according to its website.

Lillian Kelly, the senior director at Horizon House, said this is an opportunity to raise awareness and bring attention to an issue many people care about, but might not have the full picture of.

“It’s the opportunity to get a little bit more information about services that are available in Indianapolis, and also (talk about) some struggles that people who are unhoused experience. The more aware folks are, the more there’s a trickle effect,” Kelly said. “…We believe that awareness builds empathy and empathy builds people who are advocates in our community, and that’s really what the folks we’re serving really need right now.”

Attendees of the show will have the chance to learn more about the organization and how to volunteer. This is not the first time the Hi-Fi has partnered with local nonprofits, Maria Willinger, the marketing director for the Hi-Fi and MOKB Presents, said. But this builds on the importance of being aware of what’s going on in the community.

“I think it’s just all awareness that we work with so many local organizations that people might not even know about,” she said. “I think it’s just from an awareness perspective, from their team, about the good stuff that they are doing. They are so close — just about a mile away from the Hi-Fi — probably a lot of people don’t know about the resources that they have.”

Jennifer Neer, the development and communications manager at Horizon House, said it says a lot about the band, as well as the venue, to allow Horizon House to table at the show.

“There are certain types of music and certain bands that really, when they’re playing with their audience, their fans become energetic and they’re creative, and it’s such an inclusive and exciting environment,” Neer said. “When you have a band that can generate that excitement and they… allow you to be a part of that, to have more people learn about our mission, it says a lot to me.”

People who attend concerts already have something in common as lovers of live music. Kelly said the nonprofit’s presence at the show can also give them another thing in common.

“Music brings people together,” she said. “…The more folks are physically at a place for music, the more they’re willing to connect on broader levels, broader issues and broader things in the community.” 

For more information about Tuesday evening’s show at the Hi-Fi Annex, click here.