Rebuilding a Life - And a Home:

Mandy's Path to Independence

Before Mandy* came to Becky’s Place, she had been sleeping on the streets. She hesitated to reach out—afraid that coming to a “homeless shelter” would mean giving up her independence. But as the weather turned colder, she feared for her safety and decided to give it a try.

She arrived hopeless, confused, and overwhelmed. But within a couple of weeks, Mandy experienced a shift. She found a job nearby that paid well and threw herself into work, showing up for every shift she could. With her confidence growing, she began to think about the future.

That’s when she learned about a house for sale on contract. It needed some work, but the rent would only be $500 a month. Mandy and her case manager carefully researched the property to make sure it was legitimate—and it was. Mandy made the leap and purchased the home on contract.

The house needed serious repairs, but the foundation was solid—just like Mandy’s determination. She spent her paychecks on everything from pest control to plumbing and took the time to learn how to do some of the repairs herself. With persistence and resourcefulness, she brought the house up to livable condition and moved in.

Today, Mandy is a proud homeowner. She found the courage to ask for help, the strength to rebuild, and the confidence to stand on her own. She didn’t just find shelter—she found hope, purpose, and a place to call her own.

*Names changed for privacy

So far in 2025 we have served 74 residents. Last year we served 133, which is the highest number of residents showing a need for services in our community.

We currently have 24 residents, 15 women and 9 children. 10 of our 15 residents are employed. 2 are searching for employment and 3 have SSI or SSDI income and are looking for housing.

Becky's Place Aftercare Program

Becky's Place continues to offer aftercare to our residents who complete our program. Our aftercare provides use of laundry facilities, hygiene/cleaning items, food, group support meetings, continued case management, and volunteer opportunities. The women are so grateful for our continued support even after they have moved into permanent housing.

Join Us for the Becky’s Place Speak Out, Sleep Out

Each night, dozens of women and children in our community go without a safe place to sleep. At Becky’s Place, we work every day to provide shelter, support, and a path forward—but we can’t do it alone.

We invite you to join us in the Speak Out, Sleep Out for Becky’s Place, a powerful overnight event where individuals, families, youth groups, and community members come together to raise awareness and funds for the homeless women and children we serve. By choosing to sleep outside for one night, you’ll help shine a light on the challenges of homelessness and raise critical support for our shelter.

Date: Friday, August 1- Rain or Shine

Time: 7:00 PM – 7:00 AM

Location: Outside at Bedford First Church of God

3131 16th St, Bedford, IN 47421

Restroom facilities will be available

Whether you join us in person or participate from your own backyard, your involvement will make a difference. Help us raise important funds for Becky’s Place! Create or join a fundraising team with your church, school, business, or friend group. Together, we can bring hope and healing to those who need it most.

Want to learn more or make a donation?

Contact Lynnsie Hughes at 812-583-2628 or events@ccbin.org.

Save the Date for our Thanksgiving 5K

Thanksgiving Day

Thursday, November 27, 2025

Downtown Bedford- The Depot

Join us for the annual Becky’s Place Run for Hope 5K. All ages and fitness levels are welcome! The race will start in Downtown Bedford at the Downtown Depot. ABTiming will time the race this year. As part of the ABTiming race series, enjoy a festive atmosphere with music, friends, family, and snacks before and after the race. Race time is limited to 1 1⁄2 hours. This is a chance to test your fitness, enjoy a race experience, and help to support Becky’s Place.

A Special Opportunity This Year: An anonymous foundation has offered a $25,000 matching grant for the Run for Hope! Every dollar raised will be matched, doubling the impact for the women and children served by Becky’s Place.

Click Here to Register

Did You Know?

We have two storage units for our residents to obtain furniture for when they find their own home. Volunteer, Darla Anderson, accepts calls from the community from those who want to donate and meets them at the storage unit. When our residents find safe, permanent homes they have access to the donated furniture and other supplies as well. 

Savannah Kidwell is our new Volunteer Coordinator and is seeking volunteers. She will be holding a monthly volunteer meeting for our current volunteers and those in the community who have questions or want to hear more information about Becky's Place. Contact her at skidwell@ccbin.org for questions about volunteering. 

Support the Becky’s Place Endowment

Supporting the Becky's Place endowment shows your long-term investment in our mission of providing help and creating hope for homeless women and children. By establishing an endowment through the Catholic Community Foundation, or contributing to an existing endowment, you are helping to ensure a sustainable source of funding for generations to come. Every donation, regardless of size, propels us towards a brighter future. Click below to support the Becky's Place Shelter for Women and Children Endowment Fund. 

Avoiding Common Planned Giving Mistakes

Many donors do not feel confident in their knowledge of planned giving. This is not surprising as there are common misconceptions about the subject. For instance, donors may feel they have to be extraordinarily wealthy to consider a planned gift – which is not the case. Donors can make any manner of planned gifts in any gift amount during their lifetime or at the time of their passing. It’s the “planned” in planned giving that is key. In the planning process of your intended gift, it is important to avoid common mistakes such as:

·        Sending your gift to the wrong charity (many charities have similar names, so you want to double-check you have the right one)

·        Not providing the charity with the details of your gift. Sometimes, monies are sent to us without any donor or beneficiary information. Always provide this information directly to the charity so your gift can be matched when it arrives. At the Archdiocese, we encourage you to use our giving forms that can be found at: www.archindy.org/ccf/fordonors

·        Not informing your family, and especially the executor of your estate, of your bequest intentions. Your intentions will best be fulfilled if you have previously communicated with your loved ones.

·        Not having an updated will. Best practice is to review your will every five years to determine if changes need to be made.



And, as always, we recommend you consult your professional advisors for legal or tax advice. If we can provide you with planned giving information, please contact the Catholic Community Foundation at ccf@archindy.org or 317-236-1482.

To inquire about Becky’s Place, contact Natalie Watson at

nwatson@ccbin.org or

(812) 275-5773

To inquire about donating to Becky’s Place, contact Cheri Bush at cbush@archindy.org or

(317) 236-1411

Becky's Place partners with CarEasy.Org to make your donation easy and convenient. Click the image to learn more.

www.beckysplacebedford.org