NEW ORLEANS — On Feb. 17, Ozanam Inn and the City of New Orleans celebrated the shelter’s move into a 31,351-square-foot facility located at 2239 Poydras Street. The increased capacity is designed to allow the organization to care for more people— and includes space for new, secure dorms that can accommodate women as overnight guests and participants in residential programs.
Since 1955, the nonprofit agency has offered free food, shelter and clothing, as well as healthcare assistance and other vital services. Over the last 16 years, Ozanam Inn’s programs have grown to include workforce development programs and training, medical rehabilitation, housing programs and case management.
The new facility allows the Inn to expand its medical and dental services with a dedicated clinic suite, including four medical exam rooms, a large dental exam room and a waiting area. This gives Ozanam Inn’s partners at LSU School of Medicine, Tulane University Medical School, LSU School of Dentistry, Healthcare for the Homeless and United Healthcare the opportunity to provide basic healthcare to hundreds more individuals each year.
“The City of New Orleans and Ozanam Inn have a longstanding partnership and I am honored to continue working with this team that is committed to meeting our city’s most venerable population where they are,” said Mayor LaToya Cantrell in a press release. “We remain focused on creating long-term solutions to eradicate homelessness in our city and have invested $3 million to acquire a larger facility that will accommodate both men and women that are unsheltered. This critical investment is a win-win for New Orleans, and speaks to how we are strategically utilizing federal dollars to provide all residents with access to basic human needs and vital resources.”
“With women making up 30% of the homeless population, we are so grateful to be able to open our overnight services and residential programs to the women of the Greater New Orleans area,” said Ozanam Inn CEO Clarence Adams. “We are so grateful to work alongside the City of New Orleans, as well as our many generous donors, to continue to make a huge impact on those who come to us. Together, we can continue our mission to restore a sense of hope to our community members in need. ”
To learn more, visit ozanaminn.org.
