Story by Reggie Hayes | Photography by Brooke (Sprunger) Littell (BA ’02)
Rachel (Wilson) Nelson (BA ’05) loves to help. It’s that simple. She sees people in need, sees how she can be of service and feels compelled to do something. Her caring nature spreads welcome warmth like a freshly cleaned furnace in a 100-year-old home.
Nelson’s professional title says, “Executive Director, NeighborLink Indianapolis.”
Her everyday actions say, “A Friend, Indeed.”
“The rewarding part of what I do is seeing needs within the community being met,” Nelson said. “We focus on seniors and individuals with disabilities living at very low income levels. We’re helping with a critical, stabilizing need, whether that’s plumbing, replacing handrails, or making sure entries are safe and secure. Our goal is to improve the quality of life for aging in place.”
Born in Texas, Nelson moved to Indiana when her father took a pastor’s position in Fort Wayne. She graduated from New Haven High School, then studied art (fine and commercial) and communications at the University of Saint Francis. She met her husband, Josh, during their freshman year at USF, and four years of friendship paved the way to love and marriage. Josh is the manager at the IU Health Comprehensive Wound Center; the couple have a 3-year-old daughter, Isla, and a newborn son, Alistair.
Rachel experienced a deep connection at USF through the Assisi pilgrimage program. Although not a Catholic, she loved traveling to Assisi and helping others of various faith traditions walk in the footsteps of Francis of Assisi. “I found it incredibly enlightening,” Nelson said. “I enjoyed meeting others who were on the pilgrimage, many of them connected to a Saint Francis-type school. It was very impactful in my faith, and in the service arena as well.”
USF’s emphasis on service and respecting the unique dignity of each individual matched Nelson’s nature and strong sense of service as an act of faith in God’s direction. She found her aspirations connected best with nonprofit work. “I dipped my toe in the for-profit space, but it wasn’t necessarily for me,” she said.
Nelson spent nearly 10 years working with Goodwill of Central & Southern Indiana as director of online marketing. She has worked with NeighborLink Indianapolis for nearly three years, rising to executive director, a position she didn’t envision at first, but has embraced with enthusiasm. She started with the organization in 2015 as a volunteer board member.
“My main focus is finding outlets to diversify our funding, whether that’s writing a grant proposal to a foundation, making proposals to the city or thinking outside the box about other ways to serve our mission,” she said. “Because we are a small team, I try to assist with operational processes on how to be more efficient and I always work on our marketing channels.”
Whenever she has the opportunity, Nelson enjoys participating in the work projects. Often, she’s an empathetic listener to the homeowners who have reached out to NeighborLink Indianapolis for help with their home repair.
“We live in an older home, so I understand the maintenance that goes with it,” Nelson said. “We’re often working with an older community that has gone through neighborhood transitions over time and I know the neighbors and individuals don’t have a lot of resources. We’re trying to improve their quality of life, and help them stay in the communities they’ve helped build.”
Nelson plans to continue to serve others and make a positive impact in the organization in the years ahead. She credits her professors and peers at USF with helping mold her into the person she is today. She smiles as she remembers opportunities outside the classroom, too, such as helping classmates Don Clemmer (BA ’05) and Brooke (Sprunger) Littell (BA ’02) write the first murder mystery event held at Brookside.
“I made some truly dear friends that I still hold dear today,” Nelson said. “I have so many fond memories from my time at Saint Francis.”