In 1991, Pastor Alfred Young came upon some teens who were fighting. After he stopped them and they began to talk, they insisted that they were fighting because they had nothing better to do. He believed that they deserved better. That chance encounter inspired Pastor Young to start Camp Upward. Every year since, up to 400 children, ages 5 to 14, have participated in an eight week summer camp. Camp Upward remains one of the several critical human care services offered by Upward Community Services to the people of the Northshore. In particular the poorer neighborhoods in and around Covington, LA.

Upward Community Services has been a part of many success stories of changed lives through: mentoring programs, a drug and alcohol rehabilitation program, a low cost daycare for working poor, and helping families deal with crisis, financial, and other situations on a daily basis. Upward is a faith based nondenominational community organization that helps the people it serves and allows them to achieve productive lives, stable families, and to break the chains of chronic poverty, crime, neglect, and substance abuse.