The Power of Connection: How Relationships Drive Lasting Change

Progress Happens When Relationships Do    

Nine years of the Faith & Action Project has taught us this: progress happens when relationships do. 

As we enter our tenth year, we’ve been asking—what truly drives lasting change? 

After nearly a decade of partnership, grantmaking, and learning alongside our community, one truth stands out: real transformation begins with connection. 

This fall, economist Raj Chetty deepened that truth at our Faith & Action Fall Event. His message was simple but profound—one of the most powerful solutions to poverty is built person by person, connection by connection. 

What if the biggest driver of opportunity isn’t money—but relationships?
How would that change our actions, our policies, our priorities? 

Chetty’s research confirms what many in our community already know: mentors, neighbors, and cross-class relationships shape everything—from a child’s educational path to an adult’s career success and long-term stability. 

Across Indianapolis, Faith & Action grantees prove this every day—especially those walking alongside people reentering society after incarceration, aging out of foster care, or finding their footing after homelessness. In every story of transformation, one constant appears: a trusted relationship. 

Relationships in Action 

One of our Faith & Action grantees, Trusted Mentors, has built its entire mission around that truth. Their new Mentorship Matters podcast shares real stories of resilience and renewal. 

In a recent episode, mentor John Ricci and his mentee Johny shared how consistent support, honest accountability, and genuine connection helped them navigate addiction recovery and rebuild a meaningful life. 

“Mentorship isn’t just guidance—it’s belonging. When people feel seen and supported, transformation follows.” — Trusted Mentors, Mentorship Matters Podcast 

Trusted Mentors doesn’t work in isolation—they collaborate with RecycleForce, Goodwill, and New Beginnings to pair emotional support with tangible opportunity: employment, training, and structure that make transformation possible. 

Another grantee, Elevate Indy, centers the power of long-term life-changing relationships to help their students become thriving contributors in our city and state.” Elevate mentors walk with students daily—showing them the opportunities that lie beyond their neighborhoods. 

For students like Taveon, Elevate was more than just a program, it was a doorway to new possibilities, a place where dreams began to take shape. For Nevah, Elevate became a haven, a safe space where she found her voice, built her confidence, and began to see a brighter future filled with promise and purpose. 

Keep People at the Center of our Solutions 

Year after year, Faith & Action has witnessed that transformation doesn’t begin with programs or policies—it begins with people. 

From keynote speakers to community leaders, the message is clear: relationships are the foundation of change. Listening, showing up, and building trust aren’t add-ons to the work. They are the work. 

Across Indianapolis, that truth comes to life through people and organizations investing in others—often one relationship at a time. Whether it’s a mentor showing up each week, a teacher believing in a student’s potential, or a neighbor offering a listening ear, these connections expand what Chetty calls “networks of opportunity.” 

By the Numbers: Relationships in Action 

• 1,000+ youth mentored annually by Big Brothers Big Sisters 

• 4,000+ students served by the Center for Leadership Development 

• 2,000+ children supported through YMCA after-school programs 

• 400+ youth mentored each year by 100 Black Men of Indianapolis 

• 1,000+ 3rd-12th grade students served by Elevate Indy 

• 700+ youth mentored a year by Dream Alive 

• Countless others connected through TeenWorks, Shepherd Community Center, Heart Change Ministries, Purposeful Design, and more 

Each connection strengthens the social fabric of our city—reminding us that none of us thrive alone. 

Collaboration Is the Key         

Over nine years of community work, we’ve learned this again and again: no single organization or institution can move the needle on poverty alone. 

Generational poverty is complex. It demands collaboration across faith communities, nonprofits, businesses, civic leaders, and everyday neighbors—what Chetty calls an “ecosystem of opportunity.” 

When we combine social capital with shared accountability, change doesn’t just happen—it accelerates. 

How You Can Help Grow Social Capital 

At the 2023 Faith & Action Spring Conference, Fred Yeakey of Providence Cristo Rey High School challenged us to use what we have for the sake of others: 

“You have to do something. Use what you got.” 

He reminded us that youth need sponsors—people willing to put their names and influence on the line to open doors for others. And that true support comes with no strings attached. 

Every connection matters. 

Maybe it’s mentoring a student, introducing a neighbor to a new opportunity, or opening a door at your company for an internship. Each small act expands opportunity—and helps build a city where everyone belongs, and everyone can thrive. 

The data and the stories make it clear: your mentorship could change the trajectory of someone’s life.