Suffering from
low education and leading to no
education is where the St. James Parish
was headed before the leaders decided
that there needed to be a change. Before
Hurricane Katrina, there were many
communities inside of the state of
Louisiana that were
suffering from poverty and low levels of
education. These communities were so
poor that they could have mirrored some
third world countries. After Hurricane
Katrina, there were still thousands of
families that were displaced and in need
of homes. FEMA set up
trailers in Convent, LA to help house
the remainder of the disaster survivors.
When the survivors were relocated to
Convent the preexisting conditions were
immediately compounded. The issues
became worse. St. James Parish
President, Dale Hymel, wanted to help
the residents of the parish to reach
their full potential and increase their
individual marketability. President
Hymel and his Executive Director of
Human Resources were open to hearing
ideas and solutions of change. Out of
the desperate need for hope in Convent,
The G.R.A.C.E. Solutions HUB was born.
As she walked into the office of the President of
St. James Parish located in the heart of
Convent, LA., Ms. Ruama Camp held in
heart the many hurting faces and the
never-ending tears that she has
encountered over the past two years in
which she has dedicated
her life. “How can you help?”, was asked
and immediately, Camp responded, “ I am
going to meet the people where they
are.” Not attempting to replace the
traditional academic setting, The
Solutions HUB was born out of pure
desperation for a dying and almost dead
community. Ms. Camp’s goal in Louisiana
is to give people a chance to do better.
“When you know better you will do
better, and if you don’t know that there
is better you won’t do better,” says
Camp. The HUB provides the residents
with the opportunity to obtain basic
computer skills, resume building, GED,
OSHA Certification, CDL Licensing and
C.N.A Training.
With this idea to bring education in a new light
to the community, the Parish Council
partnered with G.R.A.C.E. Community
Services to provide all the services to
whomever is willing and ready to better
themselves. Both President Hymel and
Mrs. Brathwaite, contributed to the
success of the GRACE Community Services
Solutions Hub.
Through the extreme intervention of God
he sent a leader. A leader to walk with
the people as they travel down the road
to freedom. A leader that gave up his
life and had the will and determination
to assist in setting the people free.
When this project began there was no
clue on how, and who, Ms. Camp was going
to send into the wilderness. Little did
she know that her Moses was sitting
right under her nose. Former HISD
science
teacher, Bobby Scott stepped up to the
batter’s box and took his position on
the field. Mr. Scott came willing, ready
and able to fight for the rights of the
people. Mr. Scott has relocated to
Convent, Louisiana to dedicate his life
to setting the captives free.
The Sol-u-tions HUB, was named to remind us of
the SOULS, that need to be redeemed as
well as Hosting Unity to re-Build the
Community.
As Jesus walked the tiresome journey up
and down the dirt roads, preaching and
teaching the Gospel his one focus was to
“Set the Captives Free.” Mr. Scott has
been renamed ‘the Man walking,’ by the
people of Convent, for his diligence as
he walks up and down the trailer parks
soliciting bound up souls and minds to
become freed by the power of knowledge
and education. There were several people
who played a significant part
in the success of the Solutions HUB. One
of the most instrumental and influential
people in Convent was Ms. Dana Groover,
(HUD Executive Director, pictured above
). Ms. Groover and her counterparts
worked together to ensure that G.R.A.C.E.
Community
Services Solutions HUB had a place to
call home. This project truly had the
support and prayers of the community
leaders and residents. Ms. Groover had a
mind to change the face of Convent, and
through the grace of God, G.R.A.C.E
Community Services
came prepared to do the same thing.
Moses was used as a vessel by God to
bring the people out of Egypt and into
the promise land. Ms. Camp has set her
sight on breaking the chains that keep
the captives bound. Through G.R.A.C.E.,
they will have the opportunity to obtain
the keys to unlock the shackles.
G.R.A.C.E Community Services is striving
to “change lives and mindsets one day at
a time.’
