Serving at Ozanam Inn

Last Sunday, members and friends of the three New Orleans-area congregations of our denomination joined together for the first-ever shared service project. In an inspired choice for more than one reason (see next blog post), it was decided that our inaugural effort would be to serve a meal to the homeless at Ozanam Inn.

Ozanam Inn has a long and distinguished history in New Orleans. You might say it started way back in 1911 by a priest who opened a facility for homeless and jobless men in a rented space in the *Lower Pontalba Building* on Jackson Square -- at a time when the French Quarter was still a neighborhood of immigrants and poor and working class people. From that beginning, it evolved into St. Vincent's Hotel and Free Labor Bureau, which had two more addresses over time: 615 Decatur and 411 North Rampart (next door to Our Lady of Guadalupe). With the deaths of its founding priests, and a shift in attention toward young men and boys (in order, it was thought, to forestall the causes of homeless and jobless men), St. Vincent's lost drive and eventually closed. Other institutions with similar purposes arose to take its place: the Baptist Mission, the Salvation Army, and the Volunteers of America.

By the early 1950s it was clear that New Orleans had not met capacity on services to the homeless in the Central Business District. In those days, both ships and trains serviced the port, and it was common for indigent men to jump ship or hop a freight to get to the warmer cities of the South. Looking for handouts, they often gravitated toward historic St. Patrick's Cathedral, which for over a hundred years was the tallest spire visible from the downtown levee. Priests at St. Patrick's daily dealt with dozens of homeless men, and Lafayette Square, across from City Hall, became filled with men sleeping under the trees and in the park benches.

In the spring of 1952, a group of some 300 Vincentians, gathered for a meeting at the Old Druids' Home at 843 Camp Street, and were challenged by one of their number to find a way to help the scores of "hungry, homeless, hapless and helpless" men they could see every day in the neighborhood. Discussion ensued, but no action was taken.

Two years later, the pastor of St. Patrick's met with the owner of rooming house just purchased at 829 Camp Street. Since its erection in 1903, the building had served as a gathering spot for officers of both the Naval and later the Marine Reserves, and in World War II had been the headquarters of the U.S. Shore Patrol. After the war, it had housed a music school. Most recently, it had been purchased by Loyola University as a possible home for its new TV studios, but it had sold the property after deciding to locate WWL in the French Quarter instead. The new owner was amenable to leasing it at low cost to the Order of St. Vincent, but it took 2 more years of negotiations to work out all the details.

When the newly refurbished inn opened in Spring of 1955, it was decided to name it after the founder of the Order of St. Vincent de Paul, Frederick Ozanam. Word spread rapidly on the streets that there was now a safe and clean place for men to stay, get a shower and hot meal, and be counseled for more productive lives. There was never a lack for clients.

In 1961, Ozanam moved into the very building where the first discussions had taken place for its founding, at the Old Druids' Home at 843 Camp Street, where it is located today. Its mission remains the same: to provide compassionate care in the form of housing, food, and counseling to those without means, without homes, often without education, even without hope.

In order to do this, Ozanam Inn seeks donations of money, food, and volunteers. Our group (made up of about two and a half dozen people representing all three congreations, plus the two ministers) was set to serve -- but not prepare -- the midday Sunday meal, which is the main meal of the day. (In the evenings, they serve the overnight residents cold sandwiches.) We arrived at 1:30 pm and were soon briefed on what needed to happen.

Many hands make light work, and there were assignments for everybody, no matter their age. Two or three greeted at the entry door and counted the people to be served using little "clickers." A group of six, including Big Man and I, stood in the serving line off the kitchen and made sure each tray had a piece of chicken, two slices of bread, a doughnut, a scoop of mac and cheese, and a scoop of carrots or salad. Two more people put out the silverware and the glasses for each tray. Then there were folks wiping down the tables, and helping to bus the tables and sweeping the floor. (And some were taking photos to record the event!) After close to two hours, more than 160 hungry people had enjoyed a hot Sunday dinner. The first person in line was an older African-American lady with an amputated leg in a wheelchair.

It was a tremendous experience for our group of church folks, aged from wise elder to an outgoing boy of about 8. We felt good about contributing to this effort to bring comfort and health to men and women who spend their days on the streets and their nights in shelter (if they're lucky). We look forward to our next community outreach project.