November 29, 2012 | News Article

On Thursday our nation will pause to celebrate Thanksgiving, a tradition of expressing our Gratitude for all of our blessings. It is also a time when we should reflect on our responsibility to Generously share with others less fortunate than us. There are many people who, for a variety of reasons, are living on the street disconnected from family and friends such as we are privileged to share food and fellowship on Thanksgiving. Such homeless people rely on Ozanam Inn for food, shelter, clothing, and an impressive array of services that you can learn about at www.OzanamInn.org.

You may have read the article on Saturday that the City of New Orleans requested shelters to expand their capacity to house the homeless who are living under expressways and overpasses, and other open places in New Orleans. Ozanam Inn agreed to execute its plan to set up 40 cots in the dinning after the evening meal to accommodate the City's request. Ozanam Inn is providing 60% of the 70 beds described in the article below.

More beds available for New Orleans' homeless
70 new beds brought online to help

Published 3:45 PM CST Nov 17, 2012
NEW ORLEANS, La. —

Dozens of people living underneath the Pontchartrain Expressway have a warm place to lay their heads as a result of the city's latest effort to find a solution for homelessness.

"Nobody chooses to be homeless," said Stacy Horn-Koch, director of Neighborhood Services, Facilities and Homeless Policy for the city of New Orleans. "For the most part, no individual would say, 'Gee, wake up one morning and say, "Gee, I want to go live under a bridge.'"

Horn-Koch said 70 extra shelter beds were brought online to offer people under the bridge a safe place to sleep, away from unsanitary conditions. She said from February 2011 to February 2012, the city has seen its homeless rate decline by 20 percent.

"The reason that we need to get people out of abandoned buildings and out from underneath the expressway is so that we can connect them with the services that they need in order to exit homelessness," Horn-Koch said.

Before now, there was no room at the Ozanam Inn, which housed 96 people a night. It's now taking in an additional 40.

"We're bursting at the seams," said Clarence Adams, Ozanam Inn administrator. We've taken in the maximum number we can support."

Adams said the number of disabled homeless in New Orleans is above the national average, and with no extra funding, his staff is stretched thin.

"We have the cots set up," he said. "The beds were already full. When we're serving the meal, we can clean up downstairs. Then we have to go in and get staff to set up cots."

Ozanam Inn relies completely on the Generosity of people like you and your family and friends to care for people in need of shelter, compassion and resources they are not getting from other sources. At this time ofThanksgiving we ask that you consider making a donation to the mission of Ozanam Inn to serve people in need.

You can make your donation by mail to:

Ozanam Inn
843 Camp Street
New Orleans, LA 70130
or
Visit www.OzanamInn.org to make your gift online.

And remember that
The Lord loves a cheerful giver.”
[2 Corinthians 9:7]

We pray that you and your family will share a blessed and joyous Thanksgiving feast.

And we ask that you forward this to all of your family and friends by email or through your social networking.