INDIANAPOLIS — Walk past the Central Library on a Saturday afternoon and you will see a local organization whose mission is to give people experiencing homelessness a second chance at life.
Shaunella Lee-Brownie and her husband Mark Brownie Jr. spend their Saturday afternoons set up in front of the Central Library giving away food and clothing to those in need. They started Beautiful Beta Beginnings so they could focus on putting veterans without homes back in housing, helping the abused and working with children.
“We’re giving people a help and a hope in the community, and until we’re able to move to the next level, you will see us every single Saturday coming out here from 12 to 2 p.m,” Lee-Brownie said.
Lee-Brownie, a current member of the Indiana National Guard, said she has seen many of her fellow military members face depression and PTSD, which leads to them losing their financial stability and housing. She said she is focused on helping them get back on track.
"A lot of them go through depression. Some choose suicide," Lee-Brownie said. "It's something I want to bring awareness to."
Beautiful Beta Beginnings feeds approximately 200 people every Saturday, but they need the public's help in order to continue their mission.
The group is always in need of more volunteers, vans to transport supplies, clothes to hand out and food to serve. Check out their website or email beautifulbetabeginnings@gmail.com to learn more about the organization and how you can help.
"We can come out here and be a help to the community and an answer to their silent prayers," Lee-Brownie said. "We can be one step closer from getting them off the street, getting transitional housing and not facing PTSD alone."
