About The Founder
Founder and Visionary
KMM Foundation
An Unwavering Passion for the Crooked Creek Community
For the past 30 years, Kerry Michael Manders has devoted his time and energy to improving and bettering the Crooked Creek neighborhood and the greater Crooked Creek Community in Indianapolis, Indiana.
For years, he has worked selflessly and made many meaningful contributions. Through his hard work and dedication, he has had a long-lasting positive impact on the world we inhabit.
His commitment to helping others and making the Crooked Creek Community a better place is admirable.
He has continually increased understanding of intricate challenges through compassion and offering both his time and skillset to overcome them and his efforts have truly changed lives around him.
Furthermore, after four decades of dedication, Kerry recently retired from UPS in Indianapolis with an impressive portfolio of operational successes. From the start, Kerry was passionate and set out to make a difference.
In short, the plentiful gifts of advice, resources, areas of research, contacts -- these small steps pile up quickly becoming significant contributions that strive for transformative change in this world.
Prior to Establishing KMM Foundation, Kerry Led
Several Transformative Initiatives
Building Places To Create Memories For Generations
Kerry raised and leveraged over 1.2 million dollars for enlarging Crooked Creek Community/Juan Solomon Park by doubling its size and other park facility upgrades.
Providing Safe Walking Paths
Kerry championed a 17-year campaign (through three mayoral administrations) resulting in the development of a safe access route — the Michigan Road Trail, a walking path for the disabled & pedestrians located on Michigan Road - one of Indianapolis' busiest roads - seeing nearly 40,000 commuters per day.
He also played a significant role in the 1999 Michigan Road Corridor Plan.
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Providing a Learning Place for All
Kerry led the effort and made the presentation for the creation of the Indianapolis Marion County Public Library's Michigan Road Library branch as Executive Director of the Crooked Creek Community Council.
Preserving the Neighborhood's Beauty
Kerry is a nature conservation champion and was an active member of the Alliance of Crown Hill Neighbors.
His leadership resulted in saving the old-growth forest located within the cemetery, most notably through his role at the rezoning hearing, ultimately denying the petition for development.
As chairman of Crooked Creek Community Council’s (C4) Friends of Juan Solomon Park project, Kerry led the effort (responsible for all public relations and fundraising) to expand Crooked Creek Community/Juan Solomon Park (6100 Grandview Drive) by 22 acres of woodlands intersected by the Crooked Creek, receiving the Sagamore of the Wabash for his efforts.
Visionary Leadership
Kerry was a leading advocate and founding board member of the Crooked Creek Community Development Corp (CDC).
He served as a board member of the Crooked Creek Multi-Service Center's (now the Glick Neighborhood Center) and was chair of the CFIP Committee, resulting in the development of their current location.
Kerry served as the executive director for the Crooked Creek Community Council (C4) for almost two decades.
We have been working to build a strong and efficient organization to better the Crooked Creek Community in the KMM Foundation.
Community, City, and State Leadership
Executive Leadership is often associated with large corporations and global initiatives. But sustainable change also must start small—on a local level.
Kerry is a former board member of various local organizations like the Marion County Alliance Of Neighborhood Associations (McANA), Indianapolis Neighborhood Resource Center (INRC), and a commissioner of the Environment Quality Service Council (EQSC).
Awards
- President of the U.S.A.: President’s Volunteer Service Award, 2010.
- C4 special recognition: Visionary Trail Blazer Award, 2008.
- IU School of Liberal Arts Alumni Assoc.: Distinguished Alumnus Award, 1999.
- Governor Evan Bayh: Sagamore of the Wabash, 1996.
- Neighborhoods USA: National Neighborhood of the Year Award (NOTY), 1996.
- INRC: Neighborhood Achievement Award, 1996.
- City of Indianapolis: Mayor's Neighborhood Leadership Award, 1995 & 1996.
- Indy Parks and Recreation: Best Partner Award, 1995.
- C4 special recognition: Crooked Creek Corridor Award, 1995.
- Monumental Affair: Mayor's Neighborhood Award, third place, 1995.
- City of Indianapolis: Neighborhood Gem Award, 1994.
- United Parcel Service: KORE Service Award, 1988 & 1995.