Our Lady’s Inn Celebrates 25th

Anniversary November 11th

By Jim Day

While pregnant with Jesus, Mary and her husband Joseph did not have anywhere to stay on their journey to Bethlehem. Today, there are still homeless, pregnant women in communities across America. However, St. Louis has been truly blessed by the presence of Our Lady’s Inn; a nonprofit organization which has been providing emergency shelter for homeless, pregnant women and their children since January 22nd of 1982.

With two locations, one in St. Louis City and the other in St. Charles County, Our Lady’s Inn provides emergency maternity shelter and transitional housing for pregnant women who are 18 and older and homeless for any reason. Their dependent children are also welcomed to live with them.

In a recent Our Lady’s Inn newsletter, Executive Director Gloria Lee explained the roots of their mission to serve women who choose life for their unborn children.

Homeless, Pregnant, But Not Hopeless.

In the late 1970s and early 80s, a group of young people, some of whom were attending St. Louis University, were appalled by the legalization of abortion. Among those young visionaries were Gloria’s husband Sam Lee, and current Our Lady’s Inn staff member, Lucy Hannegan. The group began picketing area abortion clinics and helping pregnant women in need. The pro-lifers very quickly discovered that there were women who did not want to have an abortion, but those women felt they had no alternative. If they did not get the abortion, the father of the baby or their parents would put them out on the streets. These women felt they had no ‘choice’. As a result, the dedicated young female pro-life activists began taking pregnant women into their own apartments to help them.

Recently, Gloria received a phone call from one of the original homeless, pregnant moms helped by that group of young pro-lifers. Gloria says it was an unexpected blessing when the caller,

“expressed great gratitude that those young people were there for her and helped her through her pregnancy. She is so grateful that she had her daughter and now has wonderful grandchildren, as well. Although the caller’s life has never been easy, she said her daughter gave meaning to her life. We spent some time reminiscing about all the people who helped her and she remembered every one of their names. She could relate how each had helped her in a particular way, including my husband, Sam, who used to bring her Chinese food during her ‘pregnancy cravings’.”

On January 22, 1982 (nine years to the date of the sad legalization of abortion in the U.S.), a group of pro-life activists took their faith and cause to a higher level. The St. Louis Archdiocese leased to them an abandoned 3-floor former convent, on Julia Street in the south St. Louis City neighborhood of Soulard. The pro-lifers renovated the building and that was the opening of the first Our Lady’s Inn maternity home.

In 1987, Our Lady’s Inn opened an additional maternity shelter on Diamond Drive in North St. Louis County, also in a former convent. Both locations merged and moved to the current St. Louis building, on S. Compton at Meramec in 1997 – a former convent, as well – where up to 18 families can be housed at a time.

In 2005, Our Lady’s Inn purchased a building in Defiance, MO, which serves as a maternity shelter for homeless, pregnant women from the St. Charles County area and surrounding counties. Our Lady’s Inn-St. Charles opened April 2006 and houses up to 15 families at a time. The St. Charles facility is operated in partnership with the Greater St. Louis Pregnancy Resource Centers (now part of St. Louis ThriVe).
Length of stay at Our Lady’s Inn differs according to each mom’s needs and progress, with the average amount of time being approximately four months per family in St. Louis and six to seven months in St. Charles. While living at Our Lady’s Inn, the moms are required to seek and keep employment, save money, further their education and interpersonal skills, improve parenting skills, and have a plan for family stabilization. The moms also receive counseling and are expected to participate in appropriate solutions to issues like; domestic violence, drug, alcohol and chemical dependency, mental health, developmental delays, interpersonal conflicts, poverty, health and nutrition issues, and many other areas. Some of these issues, in addition to family friction, lack of income and substandard housing, are among the many reasons individuals and families become homeless.

This year marks the 25th anniversary of Our Lady’s Inn. Since 1982, nearly 4,000 families have been sheltered, cared for, nurtured, encouraged and given life-changing direction at Our Lady’s Inn. In Gloria’s own words, “We know that God, first and foremost, made possible this calling and privilege of serving families in crisis. Without His help and guidance, the miracle of life would not be possible. Over the years, we have also been blessed by the people He has sent us: moms and children and their extended families, volunteers, donors, staff, workers from other agencies, and financial supporters.”

Being an Angel to Someone in Need

When asked how folks can help Our Lady’s Inn Jean Flanagan, Board President of Our Lady’s Inn and longtime volunteer, was quick to respond. “Anyone can help be a blessing to moms and children in need. First and foremost, I would say we all should pray for all those who are struggling, homeless, or at-risk of losing their homes. Pray for pregnant women who are experiencing difficult situations -- that they will bravely and lovingly choose life for their unborn children. Everyone has a skill, a talent, some sort of knowledge, some time and treasure that can become a blessing to others. Our Lady’s Inn always needs volunteers for such tasks as childcare, preparing mailings, helping out at fundraising events, building repairs, and telephone/clerical help. Donations of baby supplies such as disposable diapers, baby wipes, etc. are always welcome and, of course, as with any non-profit organization, financial assistance through donors, grants, hosting special fundraisers for Our Lady’s Inn, etc., are always needed.”

Jean went on to relate an incredible blessing which happened at Our Lady’s Inn when they first opened in Soulard in the 1980s. According to Jean, there was an urgent need for a repairman. Being such a young organization, Jean and staff could not afford the desperately needed repairs. They called around and finally found a company that said they could help at a reasonable price. That Saturday a very kindly and understanding repairman showed up who had a calming presence when they panicked about what needed to be fixed. He made the repairs and even advised them on security improvements. As mentioned earlier, that was on a Saturday. The following Monday, a staff member called the repair company to thank them for sending the kind gentleman and promised to pay the bill as soon as possible. To her surprise, the repair company told the staff that they did not send out workers on Saturdays! To this very day, Jean does not know who that angel was – but she is sure he was sent by God. Jean concluded her story by saying, “We feel the clients and supporters who come to Our Lady’s Inn for help were, are, and will be sent to us by our Heavenly Father so that we may serve Him by serving His children.”

Anyone who supports the pro-life work, mission and purpose is welcomed to work or volunteer at Our Lady’s Inn. To do so, please contact Our Lady’s Inn at (314) 351-4590 in St. Louis or (636) 398-5375 in St. Charles to find out how you can be an angel to a pregnant mom in need. You can also call them to tour their facilities for a first-hand look at what they do. Wish lists, upcoming fundraising events, and recent newsletters and annual reports are available on their website at www.OurLadysInn.org. You can also request a free DVD of the Our Lady’s Inn history entitled The Miracle Works by e-mail: CEller@OurLadysInn.org.

25th Annual Fall Dinner

On November 11, Our Lady’s Inn will hold their 25th Annual Fall Dinner and Auction at the Columns Banquet Center located at 711 Veterans Memorial Parkway in St. Charles, MO. Clinical psychologist, author, and National Catholic Radio host, Dr. Ray Guarendi will be the guest speaker with KTVI Fox 2 news meteorologist Glenn Zimmerman acting as the nights master of ceremonies. There will be a reception from 5:30 to 6:30 p.m. with dinner starting right after the reception.

Individual tickets are $75 each with $25 of each ticket being tax deductible. To make a reservation or obtain information regarding various sponsorship levels please contact Connie Eller, Development Director, at (314) 351-4590 or e-mail her at CEller@OurLadysInn.org. Additional information regarding the event can also be obtained by visiting their website at www.OurLadysInn.org.