Our Work

Bean Creek Get’s a Do-Over

When time takes over…a creek can lose its way.

Friends of Garfield Park wish to thank Citizens Energy Group for the outstanding work done in Garfield Park reclaiming this portion of Bean Creek!

You look marvelous!

More work to come in the days ahead on “The Bean” through our Garfield Naturally initiative! Keep an eye out for what’s next.

Preservation projects in a park as dear as Garfield has a lot of moving parts. We appreciate the efforts of all our community partners in keeping the grass green, the trees leafing, and the historic vistas educating our visitors from near and far.

Take a walk in the park today and appreciate the nature all around you in this urban park.

Other Works

Fountains for the Future

Because we’re Friends, we want to keep you in the know. While we aren’t ready to launch the public facing phase of our Historic Fountain Restoration & Preservation Campaign, we did want to let you, our supporting Friends, know that our Board of Directors has been working tirelessly behind the scenes this year. Above and…

Read more

Celebrating a Season of Gratitude!

This is the season of Thanksgiving and we are especially thankful for you! Thankful for…your recent donations, as they have fueled our mission for enhanced funding on behalf of historic Garfield Park. Thankful for…your participation in FOGP sponsored and hosted events as this ensures the evolution of the public benefits. When you invite your friends…

Read more

Friends for the Future

Circa 1998. The Friends of Garfield Park, Inc was conceived by concerned, business-minded individuals, supported by Indy Parks and Recreation. After incorporating on November 19, 1998, The Friends began developing a model for supplemental financial support for Garfield Park. An endowment, supported by the Indianapolis Foundation was created in order to ensure that resources would…

Read more

FOGP Funds @Work on the Fountains

Watch our next step to improve our historic Fountain operation! This major improvement project started in October with a dig in the park as TSW Utility Solutions, Inc. and  Smock Fansler  Corporation …will be installing underground infrastructure to support future automated water quality treatment in partnership with Indy Parks and Citizens Energy Group.   Stayed…

Read more

Restore the Mac 2017

Thank You All for Celebrating with Us! July 12, 2017 The Friends of Garfield Park, Indy Parks & Recreation and a host of Community Partners joined the Indianapolis Symphony Orchestra in a rousing music event to celebrate: Restore the Mac 2017  

Read more

Bean Creek Get’s a Do-Over

When time takes over…a creek can lose its way. Friends of Garfield Park wish to thank Citizens Energy Group for the outstanding work done in Garfield Park reclaiming this portion of Bean Creek! You look marvelous! More work to come in the days ahead on “The Bean” through our Garfield Naturally initiative! Keep an eye out…

Read more

Tribute to Betty Foley

May 29th, 2015 Dear Friends, I trust most of you have heard that Betty Foley passed away early this morning, May 29th, 2015. She was an amazing lady and a good friend to many of us. I first met Betty in 1989 when she was with the Friends of the Conservatory. You could always count…

Read more

A GRANT FOR GARFIELD ALIVE 2017

FOGP has received a grant toward the continuation of the Garfield Alive program for the purpose of connecting community and keeping Garfield Alive. The grant is from “Frank Curtis and Irving Moxley Springer Fund, a fund of the Central Indiana Community Foundation, in loving memory of Irving and Frank Springer.” The primary use of this…

Read more

REFOREST 2016

THANK YOU from the Friends of Garfield Park, Inc. to all of the volunteers and sponsors for Garfield ReForest 2016 and the Great Indy Clean Up! It was a huge success and one of the largest volunteer events in the park’s history. Thanks to over 250 volunteers who planted 200 trees in less than 3…

Read more

Gratitude 2021

Gratitude is what we feel this time of year when we publish our Year in Review. The Friends of Garfield Park wish to thank each and everyone of you who participated in making 2021 a great year for FOGP and Garfield Park.  From this joyful group of UIndy students Earth Day clean-up volunteers (featured) to…

Read more

Notice of Annual Meeting

It’s time again for the Annual Meeting of  Friends of Garfield Park and we want to hear from each of you! The meeting is scheduled for Thursday, December 2, 2021 and once again, due to Covid 19 policies at the Park, it will be a closed group meeting, with masks required. Alternatively, members of FOGP…

Read more

Juneberry Tree: A Gift for Blake’s Garden

The Earth Day Indiana Festival at Garfield Park on June 6th created the perfect back drop for celebrating a life well-lived. A Juneberry Tree has been planted in Blake’s Garden to commemorate. Plus, the BlakeStrong Bowell and the FOGP organizations are honored to partner through funds to support maintenance and supplemental staffing of Blake’s Garden. …

Read more

Celebrate Garfield Park on Giving Tuesday, Dec 1st

The Friends of Garfield Park  is asking for your support to finish strong for our  2020 campaign! #GivingTuesday is a global generosity movement unleashing the power of people and organizations to transform their communities and the world. Visit our FB page on Tuesday,  December 1st and  look for  links to the private GT fundraisers hosted…

Read more

Please Consider a Year-end Gift to Garfield

The fall season is always an exciting time. The change in seasons, the peak of colors and the anticipation of the holidays all make for a recipe of good memories. Garfield Park is a park for all seasons. And we’d like you to think all seasons when you think of Garfield Park. How many of your…

Read more

Blake’s Children’s Garden

[TS_VCSC_Advanced_Textblock styling_color=”#000000″ styling_size=”18″ styling_border=”border-style:solid;border-top-style:solid;border-right-style:solid;border-bottom-style:solid;border-left-style:solid;|border-width:1px;border-radius:0px;border-top-width:0px;border-top-left-radius:0px;border-right-width:0px;border-top-right-radius:0px;border-bottom-width:0px;border-bottom-right-radius:0px;border-left-width:0px;border-bottom-left-radius:0px;|border-color:#cccccc;border-top-color:#cccccc;border-right-color:#cccccc;border-bottom-color:#cccccc;border-left-color:#cccccc;”]Thank you to the Urban Times for a wonderful article on “Blake’s Garden” at the Garfield Park Conservatory – Indy Parks and Recreation!  Click HERE to view the article. If you have not visited this beautiful addition to the Conservatory, make it a must do soon![/TS_VCSC_Advanced_Textblock]

Read more

Change and Growth of the Friends of Garfield Park

Last year, the board of Friends of Garfield Park updated the FOGP mission statement. The mission of Friends of Garfield Park is to “ensure the preservation and evolution of the public benefits of Garfield Park through enhanced funding, effective advocacy, and expanded stewardship”. Evolution requires change and growth. The deaths of our black brothers and…

Read more

December 3rd is Giving Tuesday

Whether you’ve always given on #Giving Tuesday or this is your first time, let this be the year to give generously AND tell all your friends and family why you love and support Garfield Park.   Giving Tuesday is a global generosity movement unleashing the power of people and organizations to transform their communities and…

Read more

Giving November- Update!

This month, Garfield Park launched its Giving November Campaign. Giving November is the Friends of Garfield Park’s campaign to raise funds to help carry out our mission and commitment to the preservation of Garfield Park. This November Strada Education Network has pledged to double the impact of your donation. Strada is matching every dollar donated…

Read more

November Giving Doubles Your Impact for GP

Giving November Go here to double your thanks this November and tell us #WhyILoveGarfield Garfield Park has so much to be grateful for this November; we are thankful for the friends, supporters, and partners that make our work happen. Our partners help with tremendous improvements and innovative programming that enhance and sustain Garfield Park. For…

Read more

Blake’s Garden Renovation Nearly Complete

The Hagerman Group helps transform Garfield Park Children’s Garden into improved destination renamed “Blake’s Garden” “The Hagerman Group has done a remarkable job on this project,” said Mark Bowell, Blake’s father. “Working with Hagerman is always a good experience, but this has been a special experience.” The Hagerman Group is among many organizations and individuals, including…

Read more

2018 Was a Very Good Year!

FRIENDS OF GARFIELD PARK 2018 ANNUAL REPORT In 2018 Friends of Garfield Park celebrated its 20th Anniversary SPONSORSHIP & PROGRAMMING Provided sponsorship support to Garfield Shakespeare Company, Garfield Park Junior Baseball & Garfield Park Farmers Market Completed a new Garfield Park teacher’s guide for school field trips EVENTS Hosted the National Recreation & Park Association conference attendees…

Read more

Annual Letter to Friends of Garfield Park

March 2017 Dear Friend of Garfield Park, On behalf of the Friends of Garfield Park, Inc., (FOGP) I would like to thank you for your support of our organization over the years. Since our founding in 1998, we have been committed to preserving the values and assets of our city’s greatest park. During this time we…

Read more

Reforest Garfield is a Tree-Sized Success!

THANK YOU… from the Friends of Garfield Park, Inc. To all of the volunteers and sponsors for Garfield ReForest 2016 and the Great Indy Clean Up! It was a huge success and one of the largest volunteer events in the park’s history. We are grateful to our sponsors Keep Indianapolis Beautiful, Inc. Indianapolis Rotary, Indianapolis…

Read more

Garfield Alive… and so much more!

Hello Friends… Recently, while writing some content for a grant request we had a chance to summarize some of the programs and services we’ve been focusing on here at Friends of Garfield Park.  We thought you too might appreciate the update. And, while you’re feeling inspired…we invite you to consider how you might join in…

Read more

We couldn’t have done it without YOU!

Friends of Garfield Park just wrapped up the progress report on our 2015 Grant from The Indianapolis Foundation, an affiliate of Central Indiana Community Foundation. Thank you!!  We couldn’t have done this good work at Garfield Park without you!  Some Highlights…. 1. We fulfilled a significant component of the Garfield Park Cultural Landscape Report (CLR)…

Read more

A Great Park Deserves Great Friends!

Dear Garfield Park Friend, On behalf of the Friends of Garfield Park, Inc., (FOGP) I would like to thank you for your support of our organization over the years. Since our founding in 1998, we have been committed to preserving the values and assets of our city’s greatest park. During this time we have built…

Read more

Year-end Giving Letter FOGP

December 22, 2014         Dear Friends, On behalf of the Friends of Garfield Park, Inc., (FOGP) I would like to thank you for your support of our organization over the years. Since our founding in 1998, we have been committed to preserving the values and assets of our city’s greatest park. During this time we…

Read more