For 90 seasons, the Indianapolis Symphonic Choir has brought people together through music. From September 13–20, 2026, the organization will carry that spirit beyond the concert hall through Sing It Forward Week, a community initiative benefiting Dayspring Center.
Throughout the week, ISC singers and board members, audience members, and friends can participate in a donation drive, serve a meal, and perform for Dayspring families, or volunteer in the organization’s community garden and donation center. The week will conclude at Community Sing on Sunday, September 20.
ISC’s 90th-season theme, Then, Now, and Always, does more than celebrate a milestone. It honors the singers and supporters who built the Choir, asks what ISC can contribute to Indianapolis today, and commits the organization to a future shaped by service and song. Sing It Forward puts that promise into action.
Supporting Indianapolis Families
Since 1986, Dayspring Center has helped Indianapolis families move from a housing crisis toward lasting stability. The emergency shelter operates 24 hours a day, seven days a week, and its 14 private rooms allow parents, children, siblings, and grandparents to remain together. Beyond providing food, clothing, and shelter, Dayspring offers individualized case management, children’s programming, and continued support after families secure housing.
“Homelessness is a circumstance a family is experiencing. It does not define who they are,” said Vanessy Cortes, Development Coordinator, Dayspring Center. “The families who come through our doors are parents trying to care for their children and children who still deserve the opportunity to learn, play, and simply be kids. Our job is to meet each family with dignity and love, understand what they need in that moment, and walk alongside them as they work toward greater stability.”
Community-Wide Donation Drive
From Sunday, September 13, through Sunday, September 20, ISC will collect essential items to support families at Dayspring Center. Community members, singers, board members, and supporters can bring donations to the ISC (located in Butler University’s Lily Hall, Suite 040A) throughout the week. ISC also invites the public to close the week at Community Sing on September 20, which will serve as the drive’s final collection opportunity.
Dayspring Center’s current needs include:
- Bedding and bath items: New pillows, bath towels, washcloths, twin-size sheets, twin pillowcases, and twin blankets.
- Personal care items: Deodorant, adult shampoo and conditioner, adult body wash, toothbrushes, toothpaste, and feminine care products.
- Baby and youth items: Baby wipes, baby body wash, baby lotion, baby shampoo, diapers and pull-ups in all sizes, and new socks and undergarments for boys and girls.
- Household and meal-service supplies: Toilet paper, paper towels, 55-gallon trash bags, large and extra-large disposable gloves, three-compartment paper plates, heavy-duty aluminum foil, and bottled water.
- Monthly giving: A recurring gift of $8 or $10 a month, often the price of morning coffee, can provide consistent support for everyday needs.
- View the entire list of donation requests here!
Practical donations help Dayspring respond immediately when a family arrives at the shelter. They also let the organization direct more resources toward case management, children’s programming, and sustained family support.
A Culture of Community
ISC’s singers take the stage as one Choir, but they come to rehearsal from lives rooted throughout Indianapolis. They are teachers, youth group leaders, volunteers, and neighbors. They understand this community’s needs because they live, work, and serve within it.
Giving back isn’t separate from ISC’s culture; it grows from it. Choir members already use their time and talents to support others, and Sing It Forward creates a shared opportunity to extend that commitment during the 90th anniversary season.
“Choir members understand what becomes possible when many people unite around one cause,” said Dr. Jennifer Cooper, Executive Director of the Indianapolis Symphonic Choir. “Sing It Forward applies that same principle beyond music. A package of diapers, a set of sheets, or a case of water may feel modest on its own, but together those gifts help Dayspring Center meet families with dignity and practical support. That is a meaningful way for ISC to mark 90 seasons in Indianapolis.”
Sing It Forward Week will conclude with Community Sing at 3 p.m. Sunday, September 20, at Blind Owl Brewery in Indianapolis. During this free event, ISC members and community participants will sing together and enjoy an afternoon of food, drinks, and fellowship. ISC asks participants to register in advance to receive digital music packets. Community Sing will also serve as the final public collection point for the Dayspring Center donation drive.
At its heart, a choir depends on people who listen, contribute, and make room for one another. Through Sing It Forward, ISC extends that practice beyond the stage and invites Indianapolis to join it. We sing together. We serve together. We give it forward, and we hope you’ll join us!
Donation Drive Drop-Off Hours: Donations may be dropped off at Butler University’s Lilly Hall, Room 040, on September 14 from 12–2 p.m., September 15 from 6–6:45 p.m., or September 16 from 12–2 p.m. Donations will also be accepted at Community Sing on September 20.
