AgingIn NOLA

MISSION STATEMENT RespondingtothecalloftheGospel,ChristopherHomes,Inc.strivestoprovidedecent,affordablehousingtovulnerablemembersofourcommunity. AllwhoareassociatedwithChristopherHomes, Inc.havetherighttorespect,dignityand a sense of well being. Therefore, through the service and commitment of our staffandvolunteers,wewillenableour residents togrowspiritually, socially,and intellectually,empoweringthemtodeveloptheiroptimalpotential. ChristopherHomesisaseniorlivingministryoftheArchdioceseofNewOrleans.

AgingIn NOLA

TABLE OF CONTENTS

2 HealthHabits: TakingStepstoProtect

Women’sHealth

3 WelcomeAboard

SpotlightonSuccess

We’reHiring

4 VolunteerAwardsBrunch

HurricaneSafety

5 EventsSponsored

MonthofOurLady

Mother’sDay

UpcomingEvents

6 St.Joseph’sAltars

7 NewOrleansCatholicCemeteries

8 FromtheDeacon’sDesk

May 2019

May12to18marksNationalWomen’sHealthWeek.Thisisagreatremindertocheckhowyou’redoingonyourhealthgoals.Thoseyoumightbeworkingoninclude:• Beingphysicallyactive• Eatingabalanceddiet• Havingahealthyweight• Quittingsmoking You know these goals areimportant to improve youroverallhealth,butdoyouknowthat they can also help youavoidsomehealthconditions? Womenaremorelikelythanmen to have certain healthissues, includingbreastcancerandosteoporosis.Infact,1in8women will be diagnosed withbreast cancer in their lifetime,and it’s estimated that half ofwomenoverage50willbreakaboneduetoosteoporosis.Youcanloweryourriskforbothconditionswithhealthylifestylechoices. Therearealsothingsyoucandotohelpdoctorsfindthesediseasesearly,whenthey’reeasiesttotreat.Befamiliarwithhowyourbreastsnormallylookandfeel,andtellyourdoctorrightawayifyounoticeanychanges.Andbecauseosteoporosismaynotshowsymptomsatfirst,scheduleregularcheckups with your doctor. Ask about your risk factors for these conditions and how often to getscreenedforthem.Workingwithyourdoctoriskeytostayingontopofyourhealthandachievingyourgoals.

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Healthhabitsbroughttoyouby

TAKING STEPS TO PROTECT WOMEN’S HEALTH

TofollowtheHealthHabitsblogonlineheadtowww.christopherhomes.org.

You’llfindthisarticleaswellasprevioushealth-relatedarticles.

Also,followChristopherHomeson: Facebook:@christopherhomesano

Twitter:@chi_archno

Instagram:@christopherhomesinc

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WELCOME ABOARD

PleaseheadovertoourCareerslinkon

www.christopherhomes.org.There’swhereyou’llfindallofouravailablejoblistings.

WE’REHIRING!

DelilleInn:SantrellStewart

Clerk

MetairieManor:LisaBlake

Housekeeper

RouquetteLodge:SherylEaton

Cook

SPOTLIGHT ON SUCCESS

AprilEmployeeoftheMonth

Debra StepterContractAdministrator

ChristopherHomes

DebrahasbeenacontractadministratoratChristopherHomesfor9years.

Shesaysshe,“likesservingpeople.”“Ilikebeingabletohelpstaffandpeopleinneedwhetherit’saresidentoranapplicant.”-DebraStepter

OutsideofWork:Debralikesservingpeople

FavoriteFood:SeafoodGumbo

RouquetteLodge:SabrinaSimmons

RecertificationClerk

NazarethInn:LauraMoselyReceptionist

CentralOffice:LoriWilken

CommunicationsManager

MayEmployeeoftheMonth

Zina SmithActivityCoordinator

MetairieManor

ZinahasbeenworkingatMetairieManorforaboutthreeyearsandher

co-workerssayshehasaspecialplacewiththeresidentssheserves.

Shesays,“Ilovetheresidents!Theytrulymakethejobspecialforme.”-ZinaSmith

OutsideofWork:Zinaenjoysfishingatleastoncepermonthandspendingtimewithhersevengrandchildren.

FavoriteFood:Grits-Icaneatthemforbreakfast,lunch&dinner.

Remembering Our Heroes

Wewouldliketohonorthosewhosacrificedtheirlivesforourcountry.Wewouldalsoliketooffergratitudetoallourmenandwomenwhohavefoughtorarecurrentlyfightingforourcountry.

Happy Memorial Day!

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VOLUNTEER AWARDS BRUNCH & STUDENT VISIT AT DELILLE INN

On April 12, 2019 Delille Inn sponsored a Volunteer Awards Brunchhonoring the 12 residents who volunteer in various positions at DelilleInn Apartments. The volunteers received a certificate and a gift jar ofappreciationthatread“Forallthatyouareandallthatyoudo,hereissomethingspecialforYOU!”

Mr. John Rahaim from St. BernardParish’sOfficeofHomelandSecurityandEmergency Preparedness visited theresidentsatSt.BernardManortodiscussthe importance of being prepared forhurricane season. He shared informationon the process of evacuations and whattheresidentsshouldbringwiththem.TheresidentsparticipateinamockevacuationeveryyearandareallregisteredwithSt.Bernard Parish to evacuate if the needeverarises.

HURRICANE SAFETY

OnApril14,2019DelilleInnresidentswerehonoredbySt.FrancisHighSchoolstudentsfromSacramento,CAwithdessertsandBingoprizes.ThestudentshavebeencomingseveralyearsnowonPalmSundayandspendanenjoyableafternoonwiththeresidents.

The meal was prepared andserved by Greta Thompson andSantrellStewart.

Thestudentsarepicturedherewiththecommunitymanager,Sr.Agnes,with whom they did the electricslide.

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RECENT EVENTS

ChristopherHomessponsoredseveraleventsthroughoutthelasttwomonths.

TheMassfortheElderly, InfirmandThoseWhoServeThemwasheldonMarch31st. ManyChristopherHomesresidentsandstaffwereinattendance.

ThenonMarch16th,ServiceCoordinatorGretaThompsonrepresentedChristopherHomesataconference. The St. John Paul II Foundation held their “Converging Roads” conference at Notre Dame Seminary.Theconferencegaveinsightsintothehealthcareprofessionandthebestpracticesandethicalandmedicalstandards.

MAY IS THE MONTH OF OUR LADY

HAPPY MOTHER’S DAY UPCOMING EVENTSNewOrleansCouncilonAging’s

SeniorFestFriday,May10

9:00AM–1:30PMLakefrontArena;$5entryfee

COASTSeniorPicnicMay23

9:00AM–12:30PMSoutheastLouisianaWildlifeRefugeinLacombe

Visitation of the Blessed Virgin MaryMay 31

Almightyever-livingGod,who,whiletheBlessedVirginMarywascarryingyourSoninherwomb,

inspiredhertovisitElizabeth,grantus,wepray,

that,faithfultothepromptingsoftheSpirit,wemaymagnifyyourgreatnesswiththeVirginMaryatalltimes.

ThroughourLordJesusChrist,yourSon,wholivesandreignswithyouintheunityoftheHolySpirit,

oneGod,foreverandever.Amen.

(fromTheRomanMissal)

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ST. JOSEPH’S ALTARS

TheresidentassociationpresidentatMetairieManor,JaniceNichols,saysthateverythingwasprettymuchdonatedbyresidents.Itwasalsonotedthattherewasmoretrafficthisyearthaninyearspast.

ThetablesweresetuptheFridaybeforeandabout8residentsspentalldaySundayputtingtheitemsonthealtar.

TwoChristopherHomespropertieshonoredSt.Josephbysettingupaltars.

ThealtarsweresetupatRouqetteLodgeinMandevilleandatMetairieManor.

ThealtaratRouquetteLodgewasopentoresidentsandstaffonMarch15th.

ThealtaratMetairieManorwasopentothepubliconMarch18thand19th.

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NEW ORLEANS CATHOLIC CEMETERIES

Aftermuchanticipation,onMarch21,2019,ArchbishopAymond,accompaniedbyFr.PaulHart,blessedthenewQueenofAllSaintscremationgarden.ThecremationgardenlocatedinSt.PatrickCemetery#3isthefirstCatholiccremationgardenintheNewOrleansarea.

Enteringfromthemainwalkwayunderawroughtironarchedentrance,youaresurroundedbygardensandtreesasyouwanderthroughthegardenonbrickinlaidwalkways.

Thegardenwasdesignedtoofferaserene,peacefulplaceofbeautyandprayer.Therearetwowaterfeaturesincludingacascadingwaterfall,agazebo,religiousstatuaryandlushgardens.ThreeofthemainsectionsincludeOurLadyofLourdesGrotto,HolyFamily,andAllSaintswalk.

QueenofAllSaintsgardenoffersasacredplaceforfamilieschoosingcremationwithseveraldifferentnicheoptions.Also

availableistheCatholicMemorialPlantoassistfamilieswithpre-planningattoday’sprices.

Tolearnmore,pleasecall504-596-3050oremailNolaCatholicCem@arch-no.org,orvisitwww.NolaCatholicCemeteries.org

FROM THE DEACON’S DESK

DearResidentsandStaff,

“Alwaysbepreparedtomakeadefensetoanyonewhocallsyoutoaccountforthehope

thatisinyou.’”(1Peter3:15)

AswemovethroughtheEasterSeason,weareremindedofthehopewehaveby

virtueofourLord’sResurrectionfollowinghisPassionanddeath.Nothingthathas

occurredinourhistoryofhumanityismoreimportantthanChrist’sResurrectionforit

isinthateventthatwefindhopeforourowneternallife.InhisFirstLettertotheCorinthians,St.

PaulspeaksofthemeaningoftheResurrectioninthepromiseofourownlifeafterdeath.IfChrist

hadnotrisen,thenneitheristherehopeofourownresurrectionfromdeath.“Ifforthislifeonly

wehavehopedinChrist,wearethemostpitiablepeopleofall.”(1Cor13:19)

Weespeciallyexperiencehopeinthegiftofchildren.Ihavespokenbeforeaboutmy

grandchildren.Ifindgreatjoyandhopeinourfuturewiththeircuriosityandthirstforknowledge.

OurdaughterisexpectinganotherchildinJulyandIcannotthinkofanygreatersourceofhope

thanthatoftheimpendingbirthofachild.InthewordsoftheIndianpoet,RabindranathTagore,

“EverychildcomeswiththemessagethatGodisnotyetdiscouragedofman.”

ThroughChristopherHomes,wehaveexperiencedhopeinboththedesireofourresidentsto

finddecent,affordablehousingandtheeffortsofourstafftorebuild,reoccupy,andoperateour

properties.AHUDinspectionoftheSt.MartinHouserecentlyremindedmeofhowhopeplaysout

intheeffortsofourstaff.

HurricaneKatrinadevastatedSt.MartinHouse,whichsomerefertoasThe1540House.This

property,locatedintheSeventhWard,provideshousingtoasmallgroupofresidentslivingin

communityandsufferingfromsomelevelofmentaldisability.Theysupporteachotherinlife.

St.MartinHousehadgreatissuespriortothestormandhadsufferedfromyearsoffunding

challenges.ItwasindireneedofacapitalinfusionandChristopherHomeswasworkingtotryto

makethathappen.Katrinacameandrequiredthecompletedemolitionandrebuildofthisproperty.

Westartedoverwithhope.

Recently,HUDinspectedSt.MartinHouseandgaveitascoreof100%.LastweektwoHUD

supervisorsfromFt.Worthmadeasurprisevisittothatproperty,theycamebecausethey“wanted

toseewhatapropertylookslikethatscored100onaREAC.Itwassorefreshingtoseeabeautiful

andcleanpropertythatsmellsandlooksgood.”Ourmanager,Tanishatheninvitedthemto

comenextdoortoseeSt.Martin’sManor.I’mcertainthatcaughtthemoffguard,mostproperty

managerstrytokeepHUDoutoftheirbuildingmuchlessbeinvitedin.TanishaandWaynegave

themthe“cook’stour”andtheywereequallyimpressed.

TohavepropertiesandmanagementstaffthatareabletoimpressHUDsupervisorsasthese

didalsogivesmegreathopealongwithjoyandprideintheworkChristopherHomesisdoingto

provideandmaintainsuchdecenthousingforthemembersofourcommunityinsuchgreatneed.

Weshouldallbeproudofthehopethatourministryprovidestothemostvulnerablemembersof

ourcommunity.

Knowofmycontinuedprayersforeachofyou.

Blessings,

DeaconDennisF.Adams

ExecutiveDirector,ChristopherHomes