On today’s show I sat down with Sharon Clark, founder of the Aspire Higher Foundation, and board member Marvin Smith about revitalizing Indianapolis’ Near Northwest neighborhoods.
After a 30-year collegiate volleyball coaching career at Butler, Clark transitioned into nonprofit leadership in 2023, building on years of grassroots community support. The effort centers on restoring an 1897 firehouse purchased at a Marion County tax sale in 2012 and reopened in February 2024 after a $1.6M renovation that now features community space, the RyZe Kitchen, and four apartments.
Aspire Higher’s pillars include community development, health and wellness, and technology-focused youth programming, including Girls in Tech trips and career exposure. They address a major food desert, transportation barriers, housing density, and plans for a small-format marketplace with financial services while preserving local history impacted by I-65 and redlining.
If you like this episode and want to hear more Get IN. episodes where I interview Hoosiers making a difference, visit getindiana.com/podcast.
You are going to learn about:
Sharon Clark’s Transition from Coaching Volleyball at Butler to Nonprofit Leadership
The Founding and Mission of the Aspire Higher Foundation
RyZe Kitchen Addressing Food Scarcities and the Future Marketplace
Thank you to our partners:
Elements Financial
Check out these great clips from the show:
01:39 Guest Introduction: Sharon Clark and Marvin Smith, Aspire Higher
03:05 From Coaching To Community
06:27 Near Northwest Explained
07:40 Finding The Firehouse
10:44 Tax Sale And Cleanup
15:17 From Art Hub To Mission
