Nestled in the small city of Opelousas, La., a nonprofit organization called Hope for Opelousas (HFO) is actively empowering a movement of hope for kids with the motto “Love Changes Everything.” The nonprofit’s every effort reflects its core belief that love has the power to transform lives and strengthen communities. From educational support and youth mentorship to leadership development, family services, and enriching life experiences, HFO’s work is rooted in meeting real needs and building meaningful relationships. And since the beginning, Senior Field Construction Coordinator Pearson Leday has been able to witness its growth and long-term impact.

“My oldest daughter, now 21 years old, started at HFO when she was in fourth grade,” said Pearson. “I would play basketball with the students after school and cook meals when needed. Without realizing it, I slowly became part of the organization. Now, my other three children either work at or attend HFO as well.”

In 2008, HFO started as a bright yellow house in a low-income neighborhood, with 12 kids ranging from elementary to high school ages. Pearson recalls that the staff would go house to house, introducing the nonprofit as a place for kids to visit and feel safe. The nonprofit currently owns several homes on the block, serving more than 100 kids in its after-school tutoring program. HFO also offers programs in adventure and enrichment, art and entrepreneurship, and internships.

“Many kids in the community do not have an opportunity to leave the city, and with money donated from other organizations, HFO strives to expand young minds by taking trips to California for rafting, skiing, hiking, and camping, or driving 20 kids at a time to LSU football games,” says Pearson. “HFO will also hold an annual art show in the spring that showcases the students’ work. With money raised from the auction, HFO kids can attend the Kids Across America (KAA) summer camp in Branson, Mo.”

Pearson says the main idea behind every activity at the nonprofit is to build character. HFO will invite speakers with different backgrounds to help inspire the kids and give hope. Some of the HFO staff will even host kids from broken homes, putting the motto “Love Changes Everything” into action. A couple of recent success stories that prove HFO is making a difference in the community include Pearson’s former neighbor, Keon Coleman, who is now a football player for the Buffalo Bills, along with another HFO student named Jaylen, who now attends LSU and is president of Omega Psi Phi Fraternity.

A couple of years ago, when Pearson entered his volunteer hours in Atmosphere, Public Affairs Manager Jena Roussel inquired about the nonprofit organization. After realizing HFO’s vision aligns with the “fueling bright minds and healthy futures” pillar of our Fueling Safe and Thriving Communities initiative, Atmos Energy began its partnership with HFO in February 2024. Since then, our donations have helped purchase school and art supplies for HFO’s after-school programs, which served over 100 students in 2024. The program had a 100 percent oral reading improvement, a 100 percent promotion to next grade, and a 3.04 GPA for students.

“Pearson has been the perfect example of an involved parent and volunteer for the last 10 years,” said Loren Carriere, executive director at Hope for Opelousas. “He has been able to share his passion for HFO at work, and we are very thankful for the Atmos Energy family. We look forward to many more years of partnership.” 

To learn more about Hope for Opelousas, please visit www.hopeforopelousas.org.