Caleb CDC is a faith based service and development corporation in business to offer complete developmental opportunities to individuals. It is Caleb’s desire to empower people so that they may improve their own lives. We were organized in 1997 to serve the North Baton Rouge Communities as well as the City of Baker. Our current target area has a population of about 19,833 with 20% living below poverty level. The unemployment rate in our target area is 12% and 10% are on public assistance (statistics received from the Capital Planning Commission). There’s one Adult education facility, one High School, two middle schools, and four elementary schools within our target area with one major Department Store, several main grocery stores, and restaurants of all types with churches of all denominations. The only supportive service that is in our area is childcare.

During the past year Caleb has undertaken its first housing development project called Edgewood Place Apartments. A 72 unit multi-family mixed use facility.  Edgewood Place is being built and managed through a partnership between Caleb and Calhoun Builders, a for-profit entity using HOME funds and Tax Credits from the Louisiana Housing Finance Agency, a grant from the Federal Home Loan Bank of Dallas, and loans from Bank One and Hibernia National Bank.

Edgewood is designed to accommodate special needs groups like handicap and elderly. We have one to four bedroom units that are equipped with washer / dryer connections. In the main office will be the developments rental office, our corporate office, and a small laundry facility.

To assist the tenants further we are creating a family learning Center that will also be located within the main office. This center is scheduled to have 20 computers all with access to the Internet. We will train our tenants and interested parties on business software, professional development, Internet, life skill development, adult literary training, and GED preparation. In addition, we will have an educational enrichment program for the youth, a standardize test preparation classes. The Center is tentatively scheduled to open in the fall of 1998.

To increase our housing endeavors we are looking at creating additional housing in Baker and in the Alsen community. In addition, we are creating a home-counseling pipeline for the community and our renters. We are also creating an information and community page on our web page so those individuals within our community can be abreast of all functions, activities, and events that are taking place within the community.

For more information visit Caleb, Inc. 
Byron Turner
Executive Director
P. O. Box 77496
Baton Rouge, LA  70874
(225) 775-2232
byron@calevbcdc.org