Matt Pham

Volunteer Reflection: Walter, Newly Created.

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Monique Howe, Executive Assistant, Volunteer Coordinator, and Volunteer Facilitator of Financial Education, recently preached on her experience serving clients at the COC. Read her words below, and be inspired by her reflections.

Hear these words from Ephesians chapter 4 verses 21-24

For surely you have heard about him and were taught in him, as truth is in Jesus, to put away your former way of life, your old self, corrupt and deluded by its lusts, and to be renewed in the spirit of your minds, and to clothe yourselves with the new self, created according to the likeness of God in true righteousness and holiness.

The word of God for the people of God.
Thanks be to God.

For quite a number of years now, I have volunteered with The Christian Outreach Center’s job readiness and financial education programs, and more recently have come to be employed there. You’re probably not too familiar with the COC, but I expect you are familiar with our thrift stores, The Purple Cow. If you donate items, or shop at one of the three stores, thank you. Thank you for helping transform
individuals as they are clothed in a new self.


There are four main programs that we facilitate to help the materially poor, under-employed and formerly incarcerated. They include a job readiness program, financial education class, grocery assistance program and the Hand Up program which you will hear a bit more about later.


The job readiness program participants learn about their place in God’s Kingdom as they develop soft skills, resume writing, and interview skills that will aid them as they move toward their employment goals. They learn that they do not have to be defined by their past, change and growth is possible. A new self is waiting.

In the financial education class, they learn how to use their financial resources in God’s Kingdom, as well as how money influences all of our relationships. Money is but a tool to build the kingdom, to create the life God wants each of us to lead to His glory. A new self is being fashioned.


I am currently facilitating the financial education class for members of the HandUp program. The participants of this group are formerly incarcerated, recently released individuals, and if you want to meet people that are creating a new self these are your people. In many ways, I hope to be like them one day.


One of the guys, Walter, was telling the story of how he came to be in our group. Prior to his release he was praying for guidance, he knew he needed to change something but just wasn’t sure what that something was. In true biblical form, God spoke in a dream.

Walter is from New Orleans originally and as his release date came closer he wasn’t sure where he was supposed to go. If he went back to New Orleans, he would be back in the environment that had created problems for him in the past. He did not think this was a good idea but what else was he to do? He prayed, and waited, he prayed some more, and waited. Then, about two weeks before his release, the revelation came.

In his dream, he was crossing a bridge headed to New Orleans, the farther he travelled the darker it got. The path was hidden, he could not see where his next step should be. Then, a voice instructed him to turn back, he was headed the wrong way. Upon waking he was confident God had spoken, he had part of the answer. He was not to return to his old stomping grounds.


Within a few days he was contacted by a lady arranging his relocation, she asked if he wanted to go home, or would he be interested in heading to Baton Rouge? Without hesitation Walter chose Baton Rouge, and was interviewed and enrolled in our HandUp program. During this eight week program participants receive guaranteed housing, instruction in an intensive version of the job readiness program, a condensed form of the financial education program, a pay cheque, physical and mental health care and referrals to employment partners.

Walter speaks of his past, the drugs, criminal activity, bad decisions aplenty. But, then with a smile he tells us he has been clean for ten years. He tells of the work he has done to change, AA meetings, bible study, prayer, surrounding himself with a new community, as he recognizes the threat of old friends, he quotes scripture to share what guides his choices now. He is a new creation.


Walter is an inspiration to me. His dedication and perseverance in changing his life causes me to re-examine my life, the practices I use, changes I can make. His example makes me question if I am living the life God planned for me? What lessons can we learn from Walter’s journey? More than that, it begs the question, what do we need to do to transform into the new self God sees for us?

Christian Outreach Center Welcomes New Board Members

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The Christian Outreach Center of Baton Rouge is a Christ-centered homeless intervention ministry helping people toward self-sufficiency in Baton Rouge. The COC exists to help people towards self-sufficiency and restored dignity through employment.

To help us in achieving our strategic plan of doubling our services, raising $1.2M annually in fundraising and grants revenues, growing team sizes, opening new locations of both our Purple Cow Stores and Christian Outreach Centers, and providing new and unique services to the region, the Christian Outreach Center formally inducted five new members to their Board of Directors on October 24th, 2022; Jerry Audet, Manager – Agile Transformation Coach, Ernst & Young Global Consulting Services, Benjamin Hunter, Associate General Counsel, APTIM, Rep. Vanessa Caston LaFleur, State Representative District 101, Louisiana House of Representatives, Dr. Andre Harmon, Sr. Systems Analyst, Federal Government, and Ed Baker, Partner, Executive Hotel Management.

Adding to the current board members, Nick Cagley, Owner, Cagley Homes, Rev. Gerrit Dawson (Chair), Pastor, First Presbyterian Church of Baton Rouge, Ann-Felice Fourier, Retired Educator, Summer Dann, Director, Capital Area STEM Network, Greg Cotter (Treasurer), Self-Employed, Financial Services, and Deborah Todd (Secretary), Owner, The Deborah Todd Agency, the new members will work to grow capacities of the organization and to optimize the provision of services to the community.

We are excited to welcome these new members to the COC and to continue in advancing our work of restoring self-sufficiency and dignity for those seeking alleviation from poverty, homelessness, and the effects of incarceration alongside them!

Checking in with HandUp Participants

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A little over two months ago, we launched into our HandUp prison-reentry program serving those reentering society after incarceration. Today, we checked in with participants, David Chambliss and Rechail Johnson. 

When asked how things have progressed over the program so far, David responds positively, “A lot of job opportunities! He [Rechail] got offered a full-time job, I got offered a full-time job,” referring to one of the local employers whose contracts participants have been working under. Rechail echoes his feelings, “They like our work ethic and job performance.”

David expresses excitement about this particular opportunity, noting that the consistency of work in jobs like these allows he and others to plan for their expenses each month rather than working jobs all over the state. 

When asking about the classes they’ve been taking for Job Readiness, David comments that, “They’ve renewed me on some stuff… They remind me of what I need to do, how to act with others, getting closer to God…how to be positive. You’ve got to stop being negative and start being positive. Stop trying to find the wrong in everything and just do the right.”

Next week, the guys move on from Job Readiness and onto Financial Education, a set of classes aimed at helping those who earn gainful employment to steward their renewed resources responsibly and according to God’s will. 

When asked about what they’re excited about, Rechail says, “I’m pretty good with Math, I took Business Math in school so I’m looking forward to this!”

He remarks that, at the end of the program, he sees, “Light. It’s light.” 

David chimes in and says, “I actually have been able to get a vehicle so my goal has changed. Everything has been working in my favor so I can change that goal [of getting a vehicle] to a higher goal of getting a place to live or something.” 

“You’re doing the right thing, you’re paying attention and a lot of people help you out.” remarks David in a celebratory tone. Rechail and David have both found lots of help from other organizations in the area as well and feel strongly that they will pass these resources on to the next group of people who come through the HandUp program in 2023. 

When asked what they would tell someone interested in the program Rechail says firmly, “You have to be willing.” David adds that, with all the resources they’re receiving as a part of the program, they are getting so much more than just $10 per hour, which will soon increase to $13. “As far as any questions you have or anything you need help with, they’re there.” says David.” “You have to be willing to put in, to receive.” Says Rechail. “No matter what you need, there’s a resource out there.”

When asked about what they want to tell folks about the program, Rechail says emphatically, “It’s working. The program is working.” “No matter how far you fall, there’s opportunity out there. You just have to seek it and apply yourself” adds David. 

We’re well on our way to graduation and are overjoyed at the work David and Rechail have put into their experience! 

Interested in getting involved with HandUp or supporting the work of our clients? Use the buttons below to learn more, volunteer, or give today!

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COC Sets Strategic Plan

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Enduring and emerging from the challenges of the last few years exposed a great need in the Baton Rouge Community for long-term efforts aimed at transforming lives and communities. Today, many of our neighbors, family members, brothers, and sisters are struggling in their experiences with poverty and homelessness. The Christian Outreach Center is working to step further into answering their calls for help.

The Greater Baton Rouge Region has experienced an almost doubling of those experiencing homelessness since 2019, and hosts over 163,000 households who live just one catastrophe away from losing their ability to retain housing (United Way). Furthermore, the region is home to hundreds of men and women re-entering society after incarceration. 62% of them will be unable to find work in just 6 months of freedom, and 65% of them will remain unemployed after 4 years (Prison Policy Institute).

These shocking statistics provide the context as to why the Christian Outreach Center launched our strategic plan through 2027. Our neighbors need long-term solutions to the challenges created by cycles of homelessness, poverty, and incarceration.

By doubling our class offerings of Job Readiness and Financial Education coursework, we double the ability to of our neighbors to work towards self-sufficiency as they learn how to gain and retain gainful employment opportunities, defined as positions earning greater than $18 per hour according to our cost of living here in the GBR area (MIT).

By doubling our prison re-entry programming, HandUp, we double our capacity to serve those seeking self-sufficiency after paying their debts to society. In turn, we provide restoration and carry out the definition of Justice provided by God.

By doubling our Essential Services we create opportunities to serve the men, women, and children in our region living outdoors with the critical resources necessary to overcome scarcity and hunger. Then, and only then, can they focus their efforts on achieving self-sufficiency.

Bolstering our infrastructure to include a mobile vehicle, home, furniture bank, and public donations warehouse builds our community's capacity to reach into underserved areas and regions where assistance may not currently be available. And, by creating these internal structures of employment, we create roles which can be filled by graduates of our programs in their journeys to self-sufficiency.

Each of these take and increase in staff and resources to achieve effectively. That's why we're looking to grow our numbers each and every year as we work towards these goals.

But these aren't goals for us alone. You can help us in our work to restoring self-sufficiency and dignity in the region. You can help us create a healthier economy and community for all of us to share. You can answer the call of Jesus, Himself, by serving our neighbors. When you give and volunteer at the COC, you become a part of our work in transforming the Greater Baton Rouge Region. Our neighbors need each of us to take part in this plan to bring it to fulfillment, and you can take your step by clicking on the buttons below.

Join us in uplifting our neighbors, and transforming the Greater Baton Rouge Region, one life at a time, today.

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Metropolitan Council Bans Encampments

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Last night, The Metro Council of Baton Rouge passed legislation which makes living outdoors illegal in public areas, punishable with up to $250 in fines, $25 for the first offense, and public service. (The Advocate)

Those who are experiencing homelessness in our community need access to long term solutions, found in gainful employment opportunities, sustainable housing, and proper medical treatment for mental health and substance abuse challenges. Community engagement and transformative services are the only effective methods of addressing homelessness in our neighborhoods.

The work of the Christian Outreach Center is more critical now than ever before: The population of those experiencing homelessness is rapidly on the rise, almost doubling since 2019. Our brothers and sisters need us to walk with them on their paths to self-sufficiency.

At the COC, we're working each day to meet the needs of those experiencing homelessness in the Greater Baton Rouge Area, but our work is magnified and transformed when we partner with our community members. We are incredibly grateful for the citizens of Baton Rouge, legislators, and service organizations who already work with us tirelessly to build a sustainable solution for those experiencing homlessness.

If you're looking to address the challenges of homelessness in our city, we'd like to personally invite you to visit our Outreach Center, volunteer in our programs, and give in support of our mission. Transformation is not achieved by the few but by the many working together. Walk with us, and witness the collective power of our efforts and the transformational change they bring about.

Use the Buttons Below to learn about our services offered to those experiencing homelessness, give today, or find ways to volunteer.

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Hope and Change after Incarceration

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"My mindset started to change," recalled Kendrick when thinking about the time that's passed since the HandUp launch in July. "You're picking me up for work, we're never late...we're learning life skills, we didn't have life skills before, we were dependent on drugs...we have a clean mindset now."

The 2022 HandUp Program is serving 5 men at moderate to high risk of recidivation - going back to a state of incarceration - here in that state with the highest incarceration rate in the world. These gentlemen, along with their other cohort members, statistically face a 1 in 3 chance of going back to jail or prison, and a staggering 66% statistical unemployment rate for previously incarcerated people.

"I have family that helps but I feel like a burden to them," says David Chambliss, " I chose this program because I want to try and do it on my own. When you come home from jail you're starting all the way over, and when you are starting all the way over, it's so easy to go back into the old lifestyle and fall into bad habits. This program helps with housing, jobs, work ethic, and is beneficial all the way around. It's easy to fall victim and this place uplifts you."

"I'm getting the resources I'm needing, the people I need to, to get on my feet. I want to own my own business, that's my goal." says Rechail Johnson.

Johnson believes in helping others and discovering what resources are out there for men and women who have similar lived experiences. "I come back and share what resources are out there that I learn about so that we can share information. I like to come and talk to the other guys and they help me too."

Just like Rechail, Kendrick and David have goals for their careers after the program ends in December.

David: "I want to get my degree in engineering, buy a house, and have a relationship with my kids."

Kendrick: "Mr. Rechail is helping me get resources, and I want to get my TLP and drive trucks. But I need to build up my skills to that. I want to see the ball drop, the golden gate bridge!"

Each of the men feel a sense of gratitude for their participation. "Thank you for accepting someone like me into this program." says Kendrick. "I was never a church guy, but after listening to the pastor and Mr. James, they're speaking about God in real life terms. It's soul searching. Once we go to a program that helps us learn who we are, it's so inspirational. I never thought I'd be in a program where people like me. 

"The staff is talking to us and encouraging us which we all need. I'm thankful." says Rechail.

With the HandUp program here at the Christian Outreach Center, generational cycles of trauma, violence, hardship, and incarceration are broken. Minds and hearts are changed and lives are transformed. The COC is walking hand-in-hand to meet the needs of men leaving the Justice System in Baton Rouge. And this is just the beginning! 

Stay tuned for the transformative journey of David, Rechail, and Kendrick, as they continue to learn and work in the program. Their work in changing their lives isn't easy but it's easier as we cheer them along the way and give them the support they need!

Click Here to Learn More About Our Prison Re-Entry Programming