Leadership creates structure
Participants need clear expectations, consistent classes, and people who keep showing up when progress is uneven.
About
Built around one belief: people rebuild when support meets them at the right moment.
Compassion for Lives is a Louisiana-born nonprofit turning that belief into practical programs — education, mentoring, recovery support, family stability, and reentry planning.
Educators, counselors, and program staff with lived experience inside facilities and across the community
Mission & vision
Mission
Compassion — improving lives through community service. We turn that mission into practical programs: education, mentoring, recovery support, family stability, and reentry planning.
Vision
Everyone deserves a way forward that is more than a slogan: a plan, a person to call, and a community ready to help them keep moving.
5
Core programs under one roof
Proven
Living in Balance recovery curriculum
2
Parishes served: Caddo & Bossier
1
Bridge from custody back to community
Our values
We stand for LIFE.
Four values guide everyone who walks through our doors.
L
Leadership
The courage to lead from the front and shape futures.
I
Integrity
Acting with honesty, without compromising the truth.
F
Fun
Celebrating the small wins on the way to the big ones.
E
Empowerment
Helping people take initiative and give their best.
How the values show up
The mission has to become something people can feel
Mission and values matter most when they shape how people are treated, supported, challenged, and encouraged while they rebuild.
Integrity builds trust
Families, facilities, and partners need honest communication about what is working, what is hard, and what comes next.
Empowerment keeps dignity intact
The goal is not to carry people forever. It is to help them build the skills, support, and confidence to keep moving.
Our leadership
Leadership with lived program experience
The organization is led by educators, counselors, and program staff who understand both systems work and the day-to-day needs of people rebuilding their lives.
Dr. Carla Buntyn
BA · MS · PhD, Criminal Justice
Executive Director
More than a decade in reentry programming, program administration, and criminal-justice work. A former Criminal Justice assistant professor, she has managed federally funded reentry programs and built the partnerships behind Compassion for Lives.
Vanessa Smith
LPC · LCSW
Clinical & Program Staff
A licensed counselor and clinical social worker with 10+ years across mental health, social services, and the justice system. She has delivered substance-abuse education, career readiness, and reentry preparation in correctional settings.
Kirk Williams
Education
GED / HiSET Instructor
Teaches online GED and HiSET classes with live instruction in literacy, math, science, and social studies, with individualized support that helps participants clear educational barriers and earn a credential that opens doors.
Mike Washington
Workforce
Career Readiness Specialist
Runs job-readiness and workforce development — résumé building, interview prep, workplace coaching, and the soft skills that help people find, keep, and grow in good jobs.
Everyone deserves a way forward that is more than a slogan: a plan, a person to call, and a community ready to help them keep moving.
Partner network
The work is bigger than one organization
Compassion for Lives coordinates with public agencies, service organizations, recovery partners, and community groups so participants are not left to navigate next steps alone.
City of Shreveport
Caddo Juvenile Justice
City of Bossier
Bossier Parish Maximum Jail
Common Ground
New Day RecoveryFoundation for Christ
Christian ServicesProject Celebration
Work with us
Talk with us about reentry support
If your organization wants to understand the model, discuss facility support, or connect someone to reentry resources, start with the contact form and we'll route your request.