April 6, 2026
10 Ways to Volunteer During Earth Month in Indianapolis
By: Emily Hunnicutt
Earth Month is a good reminder that local environmental work does not happen on its own. It happens because people choose to show up and give back (and get their hands dirty).
If you have been looking for a way to pitch in this April, Keep Indianapolis Beautiful has plenty of great opportunities on the calendar. Some are cleanup events. Some are tree plantings. Some are ongoing ways to take care of your own block or neighborhood over time.
Here are 10 ways to volunteer during Earth Month in Indianapolis.
- Join a Happy Hour Mulching
If you want something hands-on that still feels approachable after work, Happy Hour Mulching is a strong place to start. Join the KIB team to fill and load mulch buckets and sort gloves for upcoming tree plantings.
Volunteers will use pitchforks to fill buckets and load them onto KIB trailers. We’ll wrap up the project with complimentary beer as a thank you for all your hard work!
Must be 21+ to receive complimentary beer. Remember to bring your I.D. There will also be non-alcoholic beverages available! Upcoming opportunities on April 9 and April 23.
- Plant trees on the Far Eastside
Tree planting is one of the clearest ways to make a visible difference in our city. You show up, dig in, and leave behind something that will keep growing for generations. KIB’s Far Eastside Neighborhood Tree Planting on April 11 is a good option for volunteers who want to spend a morning doing physical, lasting work.
- Help grow the canopy at Creekside Meadows
Another chance to get trees in the ground comes on April 18 at the Creekside Meadows Neighborhood Tree Planting. Creekside Meadows gets its name from the small creeks and wooded areas that run through the east side of Indianapolis.
If you have missed earlier events in the month, this is another strong way to join the work. BONUS: We’ll be partnering with the Indianapolis Women’s Chorus for this planting, so you can expect some tunes as we kick the project off.
- Be part of the University Heights Great Indy Cleanup
Not every volunteer opportunity looks the same. Some people would rather grab gloves and help clean up a neighborhood than spend a morning digging holes for new trees. That is where the University Heights Neighborhood Focus Great Indy Cleanup on April 18 comes in.
The Great Indy Cleanup is KIB’s anti-litter, community-empowering program done in partnership with the City of Indianapolis. Throughout the year, we’ll college nearly 1 million pounds of litter from over 300 cleanups. This is a great time to join in.
- Show up for the Earth Week Fall Creek Cleanup
If you want your Earth Month volunteering to line up with Earth Week, the Fall Creek Cleanup on April 23 is an easy fit. Waterway and corridor cleanup work matters because it improves the look of the city while also helping protect natural systems that are easy to overlook.
- Volunteer at KIB’s Arbor Day tree planting
Earth Month in Indianapolis rolls straight into Arbor Day, and KIB has an exciting planting event attached to it. The Devington Neighborhood Arbor Day Tree Planting on April 24 gives volunteers a chance to celebrate the day by doing the work itself.
- Spend part of your Saturday at the College Park tree planting
The month does not taper off after Earth Day. On April 25, volunteers can also join the College Park Neighborhood Tree Planting.
The area takes its name from nearby colleges and the growth of education and medical institutions on the northwest side, including the nearby St. Vincent Medical Campus and Marian University. College Park is also home of the Pyramids, a landmark office complex designed in the late 1960s that became one of the city’s most recognizable architectural features.
- Join the TrailMixer Pleasant Run Trail Cleanup
Join Keep Indianapolis Beautiful and Visit Indy on April 25 to help protect and preserve an important natural resource of Central Indiana – Pleasant Run! We will be removing litter along the Pleasant Run trail as part of the regional TrailMixer festival, which commemorates the unification of 800 miles of connected trails across Central Indiana under Great Indy Trailways.
- Become an Adopt-A-Block captain
If you are less interested in a one-day event and more interested in helping close to home, Adopt-A-Block is one of the best entry points KIB offers. Captains help care for their own blocks and organize neighborhood cleanup effort over time. Learn more and apply here.
- Join the broader Great Indy Cleanup effort
The Great Indy Cleanup is one of KIB’s biggest citywide participation engines, and Earth Month is a natural time to plug into it. If none of the specific events above fit your schedule, the broader GIC effort is still one of the easiest ways to find a neighborhood-level opportunity and get involved. Want to organize a clean up in your neighborhood? Let us know.
Ready to volunteer?
To find project details, confirm availability, and register for upcoming events, visit KIB’s volunteer projects page and choose the opportunity that fits you best.
Categories: Adopt-A-Block, Clean Neighborhoods, Community Forestry, Great Indy Cleanup, News & Features, Trees and Native Habitats, Volunteers