At Ozanam Inn, we are servants of the poor

Ozanam Inn is a non-profit, direct service agency serving the homeless and underserved of Greater New Orleans, regardless of gender, race, color, creed, religious preference, or national origin. All of our services are provided free of charge. The Inn was established in 1955 by the Society of St. Vincent de Paul and is named in honor of Frederick Ozanam, who founded the Society in 1852.

Ozanam Inn is currently equipped to sleep a minimum of 97 men and 59 women per night. Overnight guests are given a bed for the night, a shower (toiletries and other necessities are provided), supper and breakfast, and are given clean pajamas in which to sleep. After the sale of the Camp St. location, in December of 2020, Ozanam Inn purchased a new and much larger building, at 2239 Poydras St., and we are now able to provide assistance to even more individuals in need. In our Poydras St. home, we are able to sleep 156 individuals including up to 59 beds dedicated for female guests. We are excited to be able to provide shelter for women for the first time in our history, as our old building did not have the space to facilitate women’s dormitories. For decades, we have provided paid-for vouchers to a nearby shelter so that our female clients had a clean and safe place to rest for the evening. Opening our doors to welcome females has been a dream for years and is now a reality.

In addition to shelter and food, the Inn offers several other services. Ozanam Inn’s meal program is one of the most comprehensive in New Orleans, offering three meals a day, seven days a week. Anyone (men, women and children) may partake in our meal program and we serve an average of 400 - 500 meals each day. Clothing is offered to anyone in need with approximately 1,500 pieces of clothing distributed each month. Volunteer doctors and medical students perform basic healthcare services in-house and make referrals to area hospitals when necessary; they also offer several health screening such as TB tests, Hepatitis C tests and more. These services are provided through partnerships with LSU and Tulane Schools of Medicine and LSU School of Dentistry who hold a basic medical clinic on Saturdays and Sundays and is open to all. Additionally, anyone may use the Inn’s address to receive any and all types of mail, including important documents such as identification cards, social security cards, etc.

Our case management team is on hand to help our clients who are struggling by, first, stabilizing their immediate crises and then working to understand the root causes of their homelessness. From there, we are able to connect them with the services and assistance they need to regain their health and independence.

Housing programs at the Inn are responsible for assisting more than 150 individuals and families with finding safe, affordable homes of their own. When needed, follow-up case management is provided to ensure they are able to maintain and sustain their independence.

We offer three extended stay, residential programs that, at our Camp St. location, were only open to men. In our new facility, on Poydras, we are excited to open these programs to women.

Volunteer Corps Assistance (VCA) – Participants are given a permanent bed, three daily meals, clothing, and assistance in acquiring other necessary items such as replacement state IDs. Social Security cards, etc. Each is assigned a case manager to help cope with ongoing issues and navigate complex procedures to move toward independent living. VCA’s assist the staff with cooking, housekeeping, office work and other miscellaneous duties.

Occupational Transitional Assistance (OTA) - Clients who hold full time jobs outside the Inn are given a permanent bed, three meals a day, clothing, and assistance with other needs when necessary. The program requires they turn over 80% of their net pay to the Inn for safekeeping and saving (the Inn does not keep any of this money), for which they are given a receipt. Once a nest egg of between $3,000 - $5,000 is saved, the Inn’s case management team works to help find and furnish affordable, permanent housing.

Medical Transitional Assistance (MTA) – Upon discharge from a medical facility, individuals are allowed to recuperate from illness or surgery at the Inn. They are given a permanent bed, three meals a day, clothing, and assisted with filling of necessary prescriptions. They are asked to assist with daily chores only in accordance with their ability to do so.

Ozanam Inn receives funding a variety of sources including from private and corporate donors, the City of New Orleans and UNITY of Greater New Orleans.
If you are interested in donating to help the Inn with our daily expenses, please visit: https://www.ozanaminn.org/donations.html

The hungry and homeless need our help, in terms of resources and, more importantly, in terms of support. We believe that despite the enormity of the problems we tackle, Ozanam Inn is making a difference in people’s lives by easing their suffering and offering them HOPE.
At Ozanam Inn, We Give a Fish for Today and Teach to Fish for Tomorrow!

If you have any questions concerning the Inn, its operation, or need any additional information, please feel free to contact me at cadams@ozanaminn.org or by calling 504-523-1184.
Thank you again for your time, consideration and the opportunity to speak with you.

Warmest regards,

Clarence Adams, Sr. 
Chief Executive Officer