INDIANAPOLIS — Karmara Holman is known by her peers to be a blessing to those in need, giving back to those who have nothing to give. WRTV's June Jefferson Award for Multiplying Good recipient is shining a light on those in the Indianapolis community that are usually left in the dark.
"Sometimes people just need help, it's them today, it could be us tomorrow," Holman said. "So that is what my assignment is, to help people at the end of the day."
That is the way Holman lives, serving her neighbors who are struggling every day.
Her personal resilience against her own trials did not set her back, but pushed her forward. At 16 years old, with her mother and siblings, Karmara left her home on the west side, fleeing domestic violence, to live at the Holy Angels Shelter.
Her teenage experience there at the shelter stayed in her mind. Now, it shines through her heart. While at the shelter, Karmara made a promise to herself that she would fulfill when she was able.
"We were in that shelter for quite some time I said whenever I was placed in a position, I would be able to give back to the community as God blesses me, I would make sure to bless others," Holman said.
Five years ago, Holman started the "Blessed 2 Be a Blessing" charity, serving hundreds of homeless Hoosiers. She does this with the support of her family: her husband, the pastor of Pleasant Union Missionary Baptist Church, and her two kids.
The 42-year-old mother and wife also hosts other events to provide health care, food, education information, clothing, really anything to help homeless Hoosiers take a step forward.
Holman's work does not stop there. Coming in August, her next event that she calls "The Hope Project."
"To help people that may be down today but you don't have to be out tomorrow," Holman said. "Basically, my upcoming project we are going to be giving away free food, free bus passes, free clothing if they need clothing to go to an interview, we are going to be doing resume and job search assistance, self-enhancement classes, Bible studies, you name it, we are going to be doing it. Just to get people to where they need to be."
In downtown Indianapolis, WRTV caught up with Holman doing what she does best: providing light in the darkness. In what was an uncertain time in Indianapolis, just one week after the city was riddled with riots, Holman provided comfort to those who call the then destroyed downtown streets, "home."
"I decided to make 300 sandwiches to bring down to Indianapolis to basically shed some light in this community, with all the negativity that has been going in regards to the senseless killings and the rioters and the COVID-19 to just give to the people in need, who may just need a sandwich or maybe just need a drink or something just to boost their morale back from here to here," Holman said.
For all of this work Holman does in the Indianapolis community, WRTV awarded Karmara Holman the Jefferson Award for Multiplying Good.
"Just being able to give back to the community, it means a lot to me," Holman said. "A lot of times we have other functions in the city of Indianapolis that do bless other people but I believe honestly that the homeless families are left out and we tend to forget about those that simply have nowhere to sleep or nowhere to eat and the key thing is to make sure we bless them the way God blesses us."
Holman does not get any funding for all of her charity endeavors, she simply does it out of the kindness of her heart.
To sign up to volunteer, or sign up a family who needs assistance in clothing, domestic abuse counseling and the other tools Holman provides, Holman says you can contact her at thehopeproject1@yahoo.com or 317-756-8680.
