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The Harry Tompson Center is committed to providing a calm and caring environment in which to serve the needs of the poor and homeless in the downtown New Orleans area. The Center is dedicated to improving the quality of life for all those who come to us in need, not merely by responding to physical needs, but also by attending to the whole person with respect and compassion, after the example of Jesus. |
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Let's See Your Smile! Smile, it's picture day! What an awesome opportunity was provided our guests when Jim Belfon, a professional New York photographer, brought his Gulf South Photography Project to the Rebuild Center! Each person who sat for a picture could receive two free portraits within minutes. It was wonderful to see the sense of pride and delight as the guests sat for their pictures and even more so when they received the photos minutes later. Some went out immediately and showed their pictures to other in the Center. Eighty people took advantage of the opportunity to have their pictures taken. The offer was made that if our guests wanted to mail pictures to someone, the Center would provide envelopes and postage. Jim Belfon and his two young assistants, Clarence Ealem and Romalis Childs, gave our guests very special treatment. We owe a debt of gratitude to these three men. Please click here to view a video of the day's event....[Read More] Church of the Latter Day Saints Come Rolling In
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I've Got a Name
For all too many people, the homeless are the nameless and faceless members of society. This video by Cassie Echer, staff member of the Harry Tompson Center, gives both a name and a face to the homeless. Click here to see more videos. Artistic Labor of Love
A Busy, yet Calm, First Few Months! The Harry Tompson Center has been a buzz of activity since we opened on September 11, 2007. From day one we have been hard at work providing much needed services to the homeless in downtown New Orleans. As busy as we are, however, the Rebuild Center, which is home to the Tompson Center and two other agencies, still manages to be a refuge for folks who have no place to call their own. It is difficult to put into words, but as you pass through our doors you are greeted with a calm that is unmistakable. Our guests recognize this and many comment on how much they enjoy the peace our place provides, peace that is too often missing from their daily lives. If you are in the area, stop by between 8:00 AM and 2:30 PM so you can experience for yourself the serenity of our space. We think you will be glad you did....[Read More] |
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God continues to touch the hearts of believers in responding to the needs of people who are homeless and in need. The Church of the Latter Day Saints, under the direction of Area Welfare Specialist Elder Gary Reed, has responded to that Divine touch. On Friday, February 29, a container truck came rolling in with ten pallettes of canned food for the emergency food program, 4100 toiletry kits, assorted hygiene items, toilet paper, six outdoor heaters to use during the wintery weather, and a refrigerated water fountain for the hot summer days. All these gifts are valued at about $14,000. We are deeply grateful to the Church of the Latter Day Saints for joining with us in responding to the poor and homeless people of 
New Orleans! We pray for God's blessings upon the Mormons....[.jpg)
Homelessness touches us in many different ways. For Margot Datz, it was her mother's experience of homelessness many years ago that attracted her to the ministry of the Rebuild Center at St. Joseph Church. Margot, an artist from Martha's Vineyard, Massachusetts, designed and created the water mural for the Center. The eight foot by twenty-four foot painting depicts six biblical scenes that refer to water, beginning with the flooding at the time of Noah and going through to the restful waters of Jesus, the Good Shepherd. In February 2007, Margot did her painting on the front porch of St. Joseph Church. Later her work was moved and hung at the Rebuild Center. As guests enter the Center, her beautiful artwork is the first thing that they see. Margot came back on Wednesday, March 5 for the first time since the Center opened and was able to see the place in action. People shared with her how much her art work meant to them and the reactions of others to such a work of beauty. The gift of her talent is a blessing to the Rebuild Center....[