Our Story

One Saturday morning, Bruce Garrison and Claire Holba met while volunteering at a local church. They came from different paths, but shared the same belief: every person, no matter where they come from, deserves dignity, and the stability, opportunity, and belonging to thrive.

What began as small acts of welcome quickly grew into something larger. Together, they connected families with local resources, created spaces for conversation and learning, and built relationships that helped newcomers find not just support, but community.

We believe something simple, but powerful:

Communities don’t become welcoming by accident. They are built — together.

Bruce Garrison

CEO

Our story

One Saturday morning, Bruce Garrison and Claire Holba met while volunteering at a local church. They came from different paths, but shared the same belief: every person, no matter where they come from, deserves dignity, and the stability, opportunity, and belonging to thrive.

What began as small acts of welcome quickly grew into something larger. Together, they connected families with local resources, created spaces for conversation and learning, and built relationships that helped newcomers find not just support, but community.

How we grew

2019

Patchwork Indy is born

Bruce and Claire turn small acts of welcome into an organization dedicated to newcomers in Indianapolis.

2022

Standing up for safe housing

When newly arrived families were pushed into unsafe, unaffordable housing, Patchwork worked alongside local and state partners to expose fraudulent practices and push for safer options. The Meridian Foundation of Indianapolis recognized this work for its innovation.

2024

A national model of community welcome

As Indiana’s designated Private Sponsorship Organization, Patchwork trained community groups in housing, school enrollment, public benefits, English learning, and employment. Residents from more than 40 Indiana ZIP codes formed sponsorship groups, and Indiana became the number one state in the country matching groups with refugee families.

2025

Welcome beyond Indiana

Even as refugee arrivals slowed, Patchwork helped Afghan Special Immigrant Visa holders rebuild their lives in Indiana, Texas, Connecticut, and Virginia, and helped welcome more than 30 Afghan refugees in Brazil.

2026

A new name for a new chapter

As pathways for refugees narrowed, the needs of the families we serve changed too. Patchwork Indy became Patchwork Global, with the same commitment and a sharper focus.

Patchwork Global today

Today we focus on what every newcomer family needs to thrive: stability, opportunity, and belonging.

Through the Families Together Project, we support families separated by deportation. Through the Workforce Culture Lab, we prepare newcomers to thrive at work. Through Neighbor for Neighbor, we train volunteer teams to walk alongside families. And through IN-NOW, we bring Indiana’s leaders together to build more welcoming communities.

Explore our programs

Donate