The Minden Lions Club hosted guest speaker Chelsey Jewel Cormier of Lafayette at its November 20 noon meeting, where she shared her personal story and highlighted the upcoming Louisiana Adult & Teen Challenge annual fundraiser banquet, set for December 4.
Cormier, 34, serves as manager of The Broken Bean and as ministry coordinator for the Louisiana Adult & Teen Challenge ministry team. She graduated from the rehabilitation program in April after enrolling in 2023 and was later asked to join its staff.
Cormier told Lions members she grew up in a broken home, began using drugs and alcohol at age 11, and was emancipated by 15. She said she had reached “the lowest point” of her life when she entered the program, at a time when she was estranged from her oldest child. She said her relationship with her daughter has since begun to heal.
Cormier said she was guided to the program by someone the Lord “put in her path.” “I immediately knew that it was time to do something different with my life,” she said. “The Lord used this program to completely transform my life.” She noted that she was able to have her youngest child, her son, with her throughout rehabilitation.
Cormier said The Broken Bean has played a significant role in her recovery and continued growth. “The Broken Bean has been more than just a workplace for me. I’ve been able to grow in this community and meet amazing people,” she said. She thanked the community for its support, adding, “This community has just given me a lot of hope… so I’m super grateful to be here.”
Tickets remain available for the December 4 fundraiser banquet, which supports Louisiana Adult & Teen Challenge’s programs for women and children. “This is what makes Louisiana Adult & Teen Challenge possible for women and children like me and my child to be able to have a place where a transformation can actually happen,” Cormier said. “Without the community support, it is impossible to do.”
Tickets may be purchased at The Broken Bean. The banquet will feature both live and silent auctions. Proceeds from beverage, food, and gift sales at The Broken Bean also help sustain the program, and sponsorships are available, offering donors opportunities to connect with the individuals they support through letters and invitations to special events.
The program reports an 86 percent success rate. It currently serves 17 women and their 24 children in its 12-month residential phase. Graduates may continue with a six-month leadership internship, join program staff, or enter the re-entry program. Phillips Cottage provides extended re-entry housing for some participants.
“The Lord called me here, to be a part of this community, to be a part of this program,” Cormier said.
The Lions Club hosts speakers each Thursday at noon at the American Legion Memorial Hall, 119 Pine Street, and welcomes prospective members interested in community service.