It was incorporated in February 2004 as a nonprofit, 501(C)(3) community outreach. REJOICE, Inc., serving Jefferson, Orleans and the River Parishes was founded in November, 2003 and incorporated on January 20, 2004 as the nonprofit, 501(C)(3) outreach of New Birth Cathedral of Glory Ministries. The founders are Pastor Richmond Edwards, Jr. and First Lady Debra H. Edwards, both retired educators, w
ho saw the need to assist their members and the community in maximizing their potential. Its mission is to “Equip and Empower Individuals and Families for Excellence and Service. The REJOICE, Inc. volunteers offers emotional, physical and academic support to help families and individuals get back on their feet and stay on their feet. Over 5000 families, three schools, and 11 organizations/churches have received services. Beginning in August 2007, we began providing school uniforms and school supplies to children who were referred by teachers and/or counselors. Currently, we continue this service through our "We Care" Initiative, supporting the faculty staff and students of Washington Elementary STEM School. In the past we have served in partnership with Proclaiming Christ Youth Ministry. A Back-to-School Fun Day is held at a local gym with games, food, and distribution of uniforms and school supplies. We serve as a COVID-19 Vaccination Site in partnership with Ochsner Medical Center and a Summer Feeding site in partnership with Second Harvest Food Bank serving ages 0-18. Our Juneteenth Festival, the brain child of Raina Edwards, began in 2011. In 2021, our 5th Juneteenth Celebration and 5K Run/Walk continues with Judge Marc Johnson's historical perspective, great music, food, support for community entrepreneurial vendors, etc. at Kenner’s Rivertown Heritage Park. Although we are a faith-based non-profit, our services are geared to meet the needs of the general public exclusive of religious practices such as religious instruction, worship or proselytizing unless requested by our clients. Our first major project in 2004 was “40 Days of Purpose”. This included 236 participants resulting in several service projects to meet various needs in the community (clothing and food distribution, a community picnic with a wide variety of activities for children and their families, etc.). The funding for the center is a walk of faith and is a result of donations from individuals and the New Birth Cathedral of Glory Family; the collaborative efforts of Pastor James Streib’s Operation New Start, a project of the Greater Lexington Ministerial Alliance; and, the Lexington Community Church of Lexington, Ohio; donations from Pastor Terrence Porter, Pilgrim Baptist Church of Red Bank, and the Katrina Community Initiative of New Jersey; Northern New Jersey Chapter of Spelman Alumnae, and the Brooklyn, NY-based Daughters of Promise; Sassy Sisters of ’67 of Spelman College; two grants from the Ecological Health and Community Renewal Fund; three grants from the Foundation for the Mid South; a grant from Funds for Southern Communities; and a Grant for Camp REJOICE from the City of Kenner, Dept. of Community Development. We have served families referred by Associated Catholic Charities, Odyssey House, Council on Aging, FEMA, churches and other community-based agencies. Although we lost our Place of Worship to Hurricane Katrina, our church resumed on September 12, 2005 and met in the home of our pastor through July 16, 2006. Because our numbers increased from 12 to 155+, the Sheriff’s office offered us the use of the St. Charles Parish Fraternal Order of Police Building. On December 27, 2006, God blessed us with the faith to secure a loan to purchase a church with two additional buildings on the property at 301 Clay Street, 2148-2150 Third Street, Kenner, LA. REJOICE, Inc. Resource Center for Families has a permanent home. Some of the services provided by our volunteers include but are not limited to: house gutting; debris removal; distribution of cleaning supplies, clothing, non-perishable food, school supplies, uniforms, houseware; counseling, substance abuse prevention/recovery support; job training and placement in collaboration with Work Force Connection; After-School Tutoring; GED Preparation; Camp REJOICE Summer Camp, Juneteenth Community Awareness Festival, etc.
