As founder of Gateway Church in 1989 in St. Martinville, DeRouen made it a full-time job of helping needy children and families. He overcame a lack of funding and adverse public opinion to feed, clothe and bring new hope to children in despair. In 1997, DeRouen oversaw numerous organizations that helped families who "fall through the cracks," and even brought Christmas each year to children with imprisoned parents. As principal/pastor of Gateway Christian Academy, he took children labeled “hopeless" from other schools and raised their personal vision and hope to become honor students.

Harrell was instrumental in organizing the Save Our Children Mentoring Program, and also serves as a liaison between the court system and families.

Williams co-founded the Martin Luther King Jr. Association in Lafayette, an educational non-profit organization providing leadership programs for children.