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Imagine being fresh out of rehab or prison in Downtown Baton Rouge. You don’t have a car; your transportation is your own two feet (or if you can get a bus pass out of someone). You need a job fast, because you don’t have any money.

What would you do? How would you find a job?

The process would be long, frustrating, and discouraging. In fact, it might be so adverse that you could get used to being homeless. Maybe going back to prison would start to look good, just so you can be housed and fed.

We saw the plight of people trying to get back on their feet, and we decided to do something substantial about it. In June 2014, we started a branch of The Christian Outreach Center called COTES (Christian Outreach Transitional Employment Services).

COTES provides temporary jobs and transportation to and from the job site. This eliminates two of the biggest barriers the homeless face: unemployment and a lack of transportation. COTES enables people to get on their feet while they look for permanent work.

Last year, we provided temp work for over 180 people. At least 40 of them, that we know of, found permanent jobs.

Because of your purchases and donations, we were able to send eight additional people to work today, for a total of 13. By the summer, we hope to be sending out 30-35 workers each day.

All of this is happening right here in Baton Rouge. By supporting The Purple Cow, you are making a real, meaningful difference in this city. That’s an amazing thing!