Page 63 - South Mississippi Living - December, 2025

Todd Trenchard and Butch Oustalet’s Lasting Bond Is Defined by Service, Faith, and Friendship
When it comes to giving back, Todd Trenchard and Butch Oustalet don’t just talk the talk—they roll up their sleeves and get to work. Over the years, their friendship has fueled countless causes, from the Home of Grace to local charities across the Gulf Coast. Along the way, they’ve found that the best kind of mentorship is mutual.
“I don’t think either one of us is a mentor to the other,” Trenchard said. “We mentor each other. I learn from him, and he learns from me.”
They first crossed paths more than a decade ago, when Oustalet was opening a dealership in Pascagoula and Trenchard attended the ribbon cutting on behalf of the Bacot Foundation of South Mississippi. The two men didn’t just shake hands that day—they started a partnership that would quietly change the philanthropic landscape of the Coast.
“I had never met anybody with that passion for giving back to the community,” Trenchard said. “He’s unique. He’s the most generous person I’ve ever seen.”
Oustalet remembers that meeting just as clearly. “Since then,
I have served on the Bacot Foundation Board of Directors, and we have worked together to help our local community,” Oustalet said. “Todd is well known as being very community-driven,
and together we have worked on many projects including the Home of Grace. Both of us have a passion for the organization, both of us have built a cottage there, both of us have funded
a program to help homeless people seeking help, and both are very strong advocates of what they do.”
As the Bacot Foundation expanded from Jackson County into Harrison County, Trenchard and Oustalet found themselves working side by side—one bringing the east, the other the west, together in service to the entire Coast. Oustalet focused much of his energy on local causes while Trenchard’s extensive network helped channel resources and support where they were needed most, especially with coastal youth and education. Together, they built a stronger, more connected community—one grant, one fundraiser, one helping hand at a time.
For both men, philanthropy has never been about credit or recognition. Their shared motivation runs deep, rooted in faith, integrity, and a belief that generosity should be as steady as the tides.
For Trenchard, that calling began years ago at the Home of SOUTH MISSISSIPPI Living | www.smliving.net
Grace, where he said his life took a turn he could never have imagined. “I basically just begged God to do something with me, and I’d dedicated my life to trying to make a difference,” he said. “I didn’t know what that meant, but sometimes doors open and close for a reason and you can look back and see why.”
That moment marked the start of nearly three decades of sobriety—proof, Trenchard said, of what faith and purpose can rebuild. “I was on a mission to give back to the community,” he said. “And then I met somebody else with that same passion. It’s helped me reach more people and see how we can help. He’s done this very quietly behind the scenes his entire life. A lot of people don’t know that, and they need to know.”
Founded in 2024, the Butch Oustalet Foundation Fund also helps shape lives across the Coast. The organization supports a wide range of charitable programs—from youth outreach to recovery initiatives—always with a focus on faith, community, and second chances.
“I have been blessed by this community and have always
tried to help where I can,” Oustalet said. “Some of the things
I have done are the establishment of the largest scholarships
for the Gulfport Rotary, we have chaired the American Heart Association and cancer fundraising events, given to Lighthouse School of Dyslexia and the Children’s Advocacy Center, supported the Humane Society of South Mississippi, and quietly helped children and families all across the Coast.”
And if you ever find Trenchard and Oustalet in a room together, you’ll hear as much laughter as life advice. These longtime friends have spent years swapping lessons, trading stories, and teaming up to make a difference—especially for causes close to both of their hearts, like the Home of Grace.
“Everything I have is because of God, and giving back is what I’m called to do,” Oustalet said. “When you meet someone like Todd, together you can do even more. We start every day with a prayer devotion at our office and then discuss how we can make this a better Gulf Coast.”
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