Franklin Graham dedicates new chapel at Angola’s Camp F

Sunday, April 20, 2008, was a beautiful spring day in . Many gathered at the newly completed chapel at Camp F inside Louisiana State Penitentiary at Angola for the dedication of the Graham Chapel. Rev. Franklin Graham delivered words of praise and thanksgiving while telling stories of his visits to Angola.

LSP Warden Burl Cain had these L to R: Inmate Artist, Warden Cain, words: “Chapels in prison are symbolic Franklin Graham, Chaplain Rentz reminders of the moral rehabilitation hap- pening in the lives of men incarcerated in Angola. We are reassured by Reverend Graham's interest and support that our work to break the cycle of violence through encouraging moral behavior is working. The building of chapels on Changing Hearts and prison grounds is proof that good can Lives By overcome evil.” Building Chapels in Louisiana’s Chapel Celebration at Dixon Prisons About 250 guests and inmates were on hand for the grand opening of the Nancy Ree Foreman Freedom Chapel at Dixon Correctional Institute on Contact Cindy Mann, Friday, May 23rd. Named in honor of the mother of world heavyweight boxing champion George Foreman, the chapel was built so that DCI Executive Director inmates, although behind bars, could have a place of sanctuary where they Louisiana Prison Chapel could worship freely. With the opening of the Foundation new chapel, attendance in programming has significantly increased. The Faith and Char- 527 North Blvd. acter Based Dormitory program has been re- opened and has been well-received by volun- Baton Rouge, LA 70802 teers and inmate participants. The addition of Phone: 225-931-7023 the Nancy Ree Foreman Freedom Chapel opens a new day of Faith-Based services at Fax:: 225-344-0142 Dixon Correctional Institute. Email: [email protected]

State Police Barracks On List for Chapel

Inmates housed at the Louisiana State Police (LSP) Barracks are now in line for an interfaith chapel after the Louisiana Prison Chapel Visit us online Foundation (LPCF) board voted this month to make the barracks its latest fundraising www.chapels.org priority. LPCF board member Charles Chatelain of Lafayette and his wife, Jessica, have provided the initial donation for the foundation's commitment to the LSP Barracks. The Chatelains are pictured with LPCF Executive Director, Cindy Mann (on left). Page 2 Louisiana Prison Chapel Foundation

Building Hope

Forcht-Wade Correctional Center Inmates- pouring the foundation on a hot July day.

Rayburn “Woman at the Well” Chapel at Louisiana Correctional Correctional Institute for Women (above Warden, and right) is scheduled to complete this fall. Bob Tanner surveying dirt work progress (above). RCC Inmates at work (above). Changing Lives

Avoyelles Correctional Center Completed 2001 Cottonport, Louisiana C. Paul Phelps Correctional Center Completed 2002 DeQuincy, Louisiana Elayn Hunt Correctional Center Completed 2002 St. Gabriel, Louisiana David Wade Correctional Center Completed 2002 Homer, Louisiana Louisiana State Penitentiary Camp D Completed 2002 Angola, Louisiana Louisiana State Penitentiary Camp C Completed 2002 Angola, Louisiana Louisiana State Penitentiary Main Prison Completed 2006 Angola, Louisiana Louisiana State Penitentiary Camp F Completed October 2006 Angola, Louisiana Winn Correctional Center Completed March 2007 Winnfield, Louisiana Dixon Correctional Institute Completed May 2008 Jackson, Louisiana Louisiana Correctional Institute for Women Target completion, Fall 2008 St. Gabriel, Louisiana Forcht- Wade Correctional Center Ground Broken June 2007 Keithville, Louisiana Rayburn Correctional Center Ground Broken October 2007 Angie, Louisiana Allen Correctional Center Kinder, Louisiana Louisiana State Police Barracks Baton Rouge, Louisiana Louisiana Prison Chapel Foundation Page 3

“Loose These Chains” Gospel CD is First Ever Recorded Inside Louisiana Prison

America’s most-populated prison and most-filmed prison (“Dead Man Walking,” “O Brother Where Art Thou?”) is now one of the country’s newest entries into the music world. Loose These Chains is a historic, first-of-its-kind inmate-recorded gospel music compilation of original and traditional songs recorded inside Louisiana State Penitentiary at An- gola. Selected Inmate Art for CD Cover Inmate musicians and vocalists traveled to Angola Prison from throughout the state’s penal system to make a series of live recordings one week last year. Record producer Larry Howard of Georgia-based Omega Arts installed equipment and instruments at no cost under the guidance of Prison Warden Burl Cain. Howard was given creative con- Music by Inmates from nine trol in working with the prisoners to make their best recordings. different Louisiana Prisons Cindy Mann, executive director of Louisiana Prison Chapel Foundation CD Recorded Live Inside Angola which sponsored the project, says the idea for the CD came out of LPCF’s Four Original Songs desire to showcase inmate talent and creativity. “We want the public to Original Artwork see what so many of us see -- that inmates have enormous potential to Purchase online for $15 give back. They are creative, talented, and hardworking when www.chapels.org encouraged.” Among the 11 songs on the CD are “Wonder Workin’ Power,” “Amazing Grace,” “Fix It Jesus,” “He’ll Deliver,” “Love the Lord,” “Deliver Me” and “Loose These Chains.” The last four are songs written, scored and recorded by inmates. Money raised by CD sales will go to build chapels at 14 state facilities. LPCF has already constructed nine chapels with two more in progress, citing a 35 percent success rate of stopping recidivism through faith-based initiatives. In Louisiana, 15,000 inmates are released each year. CDs are available for purchase through Louisiana Prison Chapel Foundation, at www.chapels.org.

“...Their music was a blessing to about Inmate performing at recording twenty street/homeless folks today.” Session. Rev. James W. Spitzkeit, United Methodist Pastor

“You can really feel (from the music) the human spirit to survive and the de- sire to change.” Linda Clark, prison volunteer in North Carolina

CD Face Art Donated by “Saw you on national news….Keep up inmate at Angola the great work of building chap- els.”Online Purchaser from California Louisiana Prison Chapel Foundation Page 4

About the Foundation...

The Louisiana Prison Chapel Foundation was started by a group of committed Christians from all walks of life who are working to build places of worship in our Louisiana Prisons. Honorary Board Members Former Louisiana governor’s Kathleen Babineaux Blanco and Murphy J. Foster, along with Mr. George E. Foreman, serve as Former Governor honorary hoard members with a 12-member board of directors Kathleen B. Blanco & representing a wide spectrum of Christian denominations and Mr. Raymond S. Blanco areas of the state. The Louisiana Department of Corrections, including the Former Governor and Mrs. Murphy J. Foster, Jr. wardens, and the prison chaplains are working together with the Board to support this important project. George E. Foreman Incorporated in 1998, Louisiana Prison Chapel Foundation is a 501(c)(3) non-profit statewide Christian ecumenical organization. Board Members The executive director is the only salaried position in the Founda- Richard A. Johnson, III tion. President Donovan K. Hudson Vice-President Funds Needed to Complete Projects Rev. Elaine M. Burleigh Treasurer R. Robert Rackley Secretary Chaplain M. Ray Anderson Louisiana Correctional Institute for Women $73,500 Warden N. Burl Cain Charles H. Chatelain Forcht–Wade Correctional Center $300,000 James A. Gallagher Michael R. Holland Rev. C. Dana Krutz Rayburn Correctional Center $170,000 Richard L. Stalder Pastor Troy N. Terrell Allen Correctional Center $400,000 Executive Director Cindy Mann Louisiana State Police Barracks $150,000

To date, the Foundation has raised over $5 million dollars. To meet the goal of 15 chapels, an additional $1million must be raised!

How You Can Help If you would like to receive

Donate funds for building chapels newsletters or notification of Volunteer Expertise upcoming events, please email Letter of Support or Comment of Cindy Mann at [email protected] Support

Invite LPCF to speak at your church

or civic group.