Room at the Inn
Posted February 8, 2011
AFTER SUSTAINING LEG INJURIES while working in construction in the mid-1990s, Rusty Wirth saw his life hit a dangerous downward spiral. He was battling pain that grew so bad he could no longer work. He had no money for rent, and nowhere to turn for help.
That’s when he discovered Ozanam Inn. A non-profit New Orleans men’s shelter, Ozanam Inn offered Rusty a safe place to stay. And that was just the beginning. After his first week there, Rusty transitioned into the extended-stay residential program, where the real healing began.
More than a Shelter
Founded in 1955, Ozanam Inn strives to rebuild lives. It operates on several levels: as a soup kitchen, it provides meals to anyone who shows up hungry. As a temporary shelter, the Inn opens its doors to every man who asks, so long as there is a bed available.
But the heart of Ozanam Inn is its residential program. Residential clients stay as long as they need, receiving not only free room and board but also everything from emotional support, medical care and life-skills coaching down to the most basic things others take for granted: clean clothes, haircuts, a place to receive mail.
During their stay, the men also take on jobs around the Inn with the idea of helping them regain confidence, self-discipline, and a sense of normalcy. Each receives a small stipend, most of which is placed in savings for them to make a down payment on an apartment and meet other needs once they’re ready to leave.
Deacon Biaggo “G” DiGiovanni, the Inn’s executive director, explains that while his clients may be homeless, addicted, mentally ill, or a combination of these, the idea is simply recognizing that no man should be counted out.
“I’ve come to understand that the common perception—that people just don’t want to get a job, or they want to hang out on the streets—isn’t true,” he says. “The vast majority are good, talented people who just want some direction, some time, a chance to feel they have value.”
Deacon G is the first to acknowledge that it’s not easy for his clients to turn their lives around, having learned from experience that many will relapse and return to the streets and/or substance abuse, resulting in a mandatory two-month waiting period before they can be re-admitted. The good news is that many of them do come back. “Each time they return, they’re more open to what we’re trying to do for them,” he says, “because they realize the bottom line is we want them to enjoy life just like the rest of us.”
Coming Full Circle
Rusty Wirth, the man who came to the Inn while battling pain and depression, is a perfect example. He stuck with the program for a year, and once he had finally recovered from his injuries, he left and took a job as residential manager for another group home. That led to other opportunities until he came full circle right back to Ozanam—where he now serves as general office manager. “It’s like this is what I needed to do,” he says.
Rusty is humbled by Ozanam’s countless success stories. “I was fortunate in that my problems were primarily physical, because for men with addictions and so forth, it’s more difficult,” he says. Rusty recalls one “hard-core” addict who spent his days finding money to buy drugs and his nights sleeping on the streets.
“But after he did the program,” Rusty continues, “he went to work for a hotel chain and is now one of their most valued managers. Meanwhile, he has survived the death of his wife and survived Katrina—staying sober through all of it, getting remarried and keeping it together.
“It’s an outstanding example of what you can do if you apply yourself.”
For more information on Ozanam Inn, please visit www.ozanaminn.org.
Regions Bank is proud to help support Ozanam Inn, and many Regions employees donate their time to volunteer at the shelter.
comments (3)
Just found this story at the bottom of the page and finished reading it. I am glad there are places that care enough for the homeless and the addict to see beyond the outside appearance and into the heart. I thought that some of them were okay with being on the street until I thought about how I would feel in the same situation. Life beats everyone down sometimes and they react differently. Glad to know others care about them and to help them realize their potential. Keep up the good work and I pray that your mission continues to thrive with God's help.
Judy BatesI just visited New Orleans. It's a beautiful city. I did notice a lot of homeless people. My heart went out to them. Most of them were very polite... made me wonder how they fell into such unfortunate circumstances. I'm so happy to hear that New Orleans has such a wonderful program to get these people on their feet again and feeling good about themselves.
DebraWow, this a wonderful story. Alot of times we get so caught up in the things that we dont have that we ignore the small blessings in our life. This story reminds me of all of the beautiful things that we can offer one another, shelter, food, respect, and love.
catherine