The Rebuild Center

Yesterday morning, I went with Jennifer Lane to the Rebuild Center. The Rebuild Center is located behind St. Joseph's Church on Tulane Avenue and it ministers to the homeless. Jennifer and her mother, Ann Lane, are regular volunteers here, and I have been wanting for them to take me there for quite some time.

Some may know the Rebuild Center because it is home to the Harry Tompson Center. But, the Harry Tompson Center is one of three agencies housed within the Rebuild Center. The others include Lantern Light (administered by the Presentation Sisters) and Catholic Charities Hispanic Apostolate. Together, they all support the homeless in New Orleans.

The actual location is really an oasis. It is architecturally beautiful. It provides calm and comfort in an unpredictable world. There are variety of services offered to many in need including showers and laundry, legal aid, medical services, restrooms, birth certificate assistance, lunch, mail, mortgage readiness classes for 1st time home buyers, and emergency financial assistance and groceries for area residents. Guests must be sober, and they are asked to maintain a sense of peace while in the Center.

I write this post because Lantern Light needs support. In the fall, Jennifer and I intend to organize a fish fry or bingo night, and we hope you will consider attending. The event will be at the Rebuild Center, so you can experience it first hand. In the meantime, you can help in the following ways:

• Have a food drive
• Have a cereal drive
• Have a dried food drive
• Collect canned meat items
• Prepare hot lunch for 150 people once a month or make sandwiches for 150 once a month
• Provide drinks for guests (iced tea or lemonade)
• Supply clam shells to serve the lunch (200 for one meal)
• Supply 12 oz - cold cups for lunch drinks (200 per meal)
• Supply forks/spoons for the lunch program
• Donate Cleaning items
• Donate small paper plates, small bowls
• Help financially by donating money for the Identification Program (a birth certificate costs $9 here in Louisiana, whereas in other states it costs up to $23. An Identification card costs $18 or a replacement id card costs $13
• Help with prescriptions
• Have a used cell phone drive

Donations can be mailed to:

Lantern Light Inc.

1802 Tulane Avenue

New Orleans, LA 70112

Additionally, I have volunteered to assemble a brochure, but I do not know how to use publisher, nor have it. If you are a graphic designer out there and you would like to help me coordinate, please let me know. They are also in need of someone to develop a website. I do not know how to do that, but perhaps I could introduce them to a blog.

I admire Jennifer and her mother for volunteering at the Rebuild Center. While many of us our active volunteers in our community, ministering to the homeless is probably one of the hardest jobs out there. It can be scary and it can be intimidating, but they too need our help and support.

Services offered by each agency:

The Harry Tompson Center
Showers
Laundry
Phone Room
Legal Aid
Notary Services
Medical Services
Mental Health
Hygiene Kits
Restroom Facilities

Lantern Light
Birth Certificate Assistance
ID Assistance
Lunch
Prescription Assistance
Mail
Mortgage Readiness classes for 1st time home buyers
Emergency financial assistance & groceries for area residents

Catholic Charities Hispanic Apostolate
Interpretive services, case management and workers' rights for Hispanics

Services not provided by any of the agencies at the Rebuild Center
Clothing
Job placement/employment assistance
Housing assistance/placement

The Rebuild Center
Hours: Monday - Friday, 8 AM - 2:30 PM
Location: 1803 Gravier Street, NOLA 70112
(behind St. Joesph's Church on Tulane Avenue)
Phone: 504-273-5577