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United Way of South Central Indiana is pleased to welcome Sophia Perkovich as the organization's Development Operations & Stewardship Coordinator. In this role, she will support donor recognition and stewardship, gift processing, and workplace giving, while helping strengthen coordination across the Finance and Operations departments.
A recent graduate of the O'Neill School of Public and Environmental Affairs at Indiana University, Perkovich earned a Bachelor of Science in Public Affairs with a minor in Financial Literacy. Before joining United Way, Perkovich spent six years coaching youth cheerleading and gymnastics, building the same relationship-focused skills — clear communication, trust, and follow-through — that she now brings to donor stewardship, helping ensure every gift is put to work connecting people across South Central Indiana to possibility. She is excited to remain in Bloomington and apply her diverse background, spanning policy analysis, database management, and technology, to support fundraising efforts and donor engagement at United Way. Sophia may be contacted at (812) 269-1259 or [email protected].
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Bringing Community Together for an Evening of Fun and Giving Back Nearly half of families in south-central Indiana are just one emergency away from poverty. United Way of South Central Indiana invites community members to help change that at Play With a Purpose on Thursday, August 6, from 5–9 p.m. at Hoosier Alley. This family-friendly event combines bowling, skating, games, and community building while supporting United Way's work connecting people to possibility across the region.
Play With a Purpose offers individuals, families, coworkers, and community supporters an evening out while raising awareness and support for programs that open doors to youth opportunity, financial stability, and healthy communities for local ALICE families – our neighbors who are Asset Limited, Income Constrained, Employed, and working hard but still struggling to get by. Indiana University’s College of Arts and Sciences and O’Neill School invite you to join us on the Bloomington campus this fall. This will be a great opportunity to connect with students seeking spring/summer 2027 internships, or full-time entry level jobs following graduation in May-August 2027. You can look forward to meeting students with a unique combination of studies, skills, and experiences who can help move your organization forward. Students from all stages of their undergraduate and graduate careers attend our fairs to learn about your organization, share their skills, and actively seek out opportunities.
We’re pleased to offer a variety of career fairs for you to choose from. Our industry-oriented fairs are intentionally limited to no more than 20 organizations, to provide a more focused environment that fosters connection between students and employers with shared career interests and goals. *We’re offering early-bird discounts! Be sure to register prior to July 25 to take advantage of this reduced rate!* The City of Bloomington is celebrating five years of progress implementing the Climate Action Plan, adopted by the Bloomington Common Council in 2021. To mark the milestone, the City released its 2024 Community-Wide and Municipal Operations Greenhouse Gas Inventory Report, which shows Bloomington remains on track to meet its goal of reducing community-wide greenhouse gas emissions 25 percent below 2018 levels by 2030.
Guided by the Climate Action Plan, Bloomington has invested in energy efficiency, renewable energy, sustainable transportation, green infrastructure, and climate resilience to reduce emissions while preparing the community for the impacts of climate change. "Five years ago, Bloomington committed to taking meaningful action to address climate change," said Mayor Kerry Thomson. "Today, we're seeing the results of that commitment through projects that lower energy costs, strengthen our infrastructure, improve public health, and make our community more resilient. While there is still important work ahead, we're proud of the progress we've made together." The American Red Cross is facing an emergency blood shortage and needs your help. The national blood supply fell nearly 25% in June, while hospital demand increased by approximately 3,500 units per week. Someone in the United States needs blood or platelets every two seconds, and blood cannot be manufactured or stockpiled—it can only come from volunteer donors.
Patients undergoing cancer treatment, trauma victims, individuals with sickle cell disease, and mothers experiencing childbirth complications depend on a stable blood supply every day. Without enough donors, lifesaving treatments may be delayed. We're asking our community partners to help spread the word by encouraging employees, members, customers, congregants, supporters, friends, and family members to donate blood. With only about 3% of age-eligible Americans donating blood each year, every donor matters. Please consider sharing this appeal through your newsletter, website, email communications, and social media platforms. A single post, share, or mention can help connect someone with a lifesaving opportunity to donate. Your voice can help reach donors who may not otherwise be aware of the urgent need. Eligible donors can find a convenient blood drive and schedule an appointment at https://www.redcrossblood.org/give.html. One donation can help save more than one life. Thank you for helping us ensure blood is available when patients need it most.  Infrastructure improvements at Switchyard Park will be one of the projects funded by the READI grant and related IU-led investments to boost artistic and creative entrepreneurial endeavors in the 11-county Uplands region. Photo by Austin Francalancia More than $7 million will be invested in workforce development, talent retention and creative-economy infrastructure across southern Indiana through a new Indiana University-led initiative designed to help artists, entrepreneurs and creative professionals build careers in the Indiana Uplands.
The investment includes a $3 million READI 2.0 Arts & Culture Initiative grant from the Indiana Economic Development Corp. and more than $4 million in matching and in-kind support to establish the Uplands Regional Creative Economy Commons. This connected network of creative spaces, shared production facilities, public programming and regional resources will serve the 11 southern Indiana counties that make up the Indiana Uplands region. Led by IU Research and regional partners, the initiative is designed to strengthen the creative workforce by creating professional pathways for artists and creative entrepreneurs, expanding access to business-development resources, and providing the infrastructure needed for creative professionals to live, work and build businesses in the region. The project responds to a longstanding challenge identified by regional leaders: retaining talented graduates, artists and young professionals by providing opportunities to launch careers close to home. Bloomington’s Board of Public Works approved a right-of-way special event permit on Tuesday, July 14 for temporary street closures related to the production of LITTLE FIVE, a feature film set against the backdrop of Indiana University in the early 1980s and inspired by the first Women’s Little 500 race in 1988.
Filming is scheduled to take place in Bloomington through August 13, 2026, with several temporary street closures planned to support production activity. The approved closures include the following filming areas and dates:
The City of Bloomington has opened applications for the 2026 Sustainable Neighborhoods Grant, a funding opportunity designed to support small-scale neighborhood projects that advance the goals of the City’s Climate Action Plan.
“The City is here to support the community’s climate action ideas by providing the financial means to take the first step,” said Jolie Perry, Sustainability Program Coordinator. “We run this grant program to offer residents the resources to meet the unique needs of their neighborhood.” A project team of at least four Bloomington residents with a designated project liaison may apply for a grant of up to $1,000 for projects that strengthen climate resilience or sustainability in their area. The project team may partner with a local organization to apply on their behalf. Featuring Exciting New Themes from Matilda to Stranger ThingsAfter a fun-filled summer of camps, Constellation is excited to introduce a robust line-up of fall classes, running September through December! This session, Constellation is rolling out new age groups to better serve our students: Littles (grades K-2), Kids (grades 3-5), Middles (grades 6-8), and Adults (ages 18+). With engaging courses in acting, theater, improv, comedy, and moviemaking there’s something for everyone!
For Littles, Constellation is bringing back popular offerings, like Theater Playground, but with fresh new themes! Upcoming classes for Littles (grades K-2) include Theater Playground: Pigeons, Piggies, and Pals, Acting Ensemble for Littles: How the Grinch Stole Christmas, and Musical Theater Playground: Frozen Forever! Meanwhile, Kids (grades 3-5) will dive into popular shows like Matilda and The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe. Constellation’s new Middles age group (grades 6-8) will have a blast in classes like Acting Ensemble for Middles: Goosebumps: The Haunted Mask, Broadway Bound: Matilda In Concert, and Stranger Scenes & The Upside Down of Acting On Camera. Constellation’s Education Director Eric Shelley is particularly excited for our new Acting on Camera classes for Kids and Middles, both with spooky themes perfect for the Halloween season.
Insights Optical is pleased to announce the continued growth of its locally owned practice through the addition of two outstanding optometrists, Dr. Lithia Jimenez and Dr. Caitlin Lewis, expanding access to comprehensive eye care for patients throughout Bloomington, Ellettsville, Mitchell, and the surrounding communities.
As part of a recent partnership, Landmark Eye Care officially merged with Insights Optical on June 1, 2026.The merger allows patients to continue receiving the personalized care they have come to expect while benefiting from expanded services, advanced technology, and additional appointment availability. Dr. Lithia Jimenez has joined the team at Insights Optical's Ellettsville office, where she continues caring for many of her longtime Landmark Eye Care patients while welcoming new patients to the practice. Her transition ensures continuity of care for the community while expanding access to services including comprehensive eye exams, medical eye care, contact lenses, dry eye treatment, and advanced diagnostic technology. |
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