Our Lady's Inn

History of Our Lady's Inn

• Our Lady's Inn opens in a former convent on Julia Street in Soulard, a neighborhood in south St. Louis City. Dedicated volunteers worked at the home, which was open 24 hours per day.

• The founders of Our Lady's Inn were and are insightful, forward-thinking pro-life activists who saw the need to provide a safe and loving home for pregnant women who were being pressured into considering abortion. Because every human life, born or unborn, is precious and unique, these prolifers began providing a place to stay where the moms could find support, encouragement, safety, nurturing, resources and referrals toward stabilizing their lives.

      1987

•  Second location opens in a rented former convent at St. Catherine Alexandria Parish on Diamond Drive in North St. Louis County. The North County building served 12 women and their babies.

      1997

• The Julia and Diamond locations merge and open as one Our Lady's Inn location, in the  former St. Anthony of Padua Parish convent at 4223 S. Compton, St. Louis, Missouri 63111. This is referred to today as Our Lady's Inn - St. Louis.

       1996

• Started fixing up the Compton Avenue building. The purchase price was $150,000. And, it needed another $150,000 in repairs and upgrades to meet building codes, such as asbestos abatement, a fire alarm sytem, plastering, painting, enclosing stairwells, and more renovations.
  

• Our Lady's Inn opens the Bro. Loyola Transitional Housing Program four-family unit building near the Compton Avenue location.  After completing the shelter program, up to  three can stay in these apartments for up to one year in a more independent setting, with support services provided by Our Lady's Inn.  Women who stay in these apartments must be either working, attending school or progressing in a job training program.

      April 2006

• Our Lady's Inn opens a second location, in a former assisted living ranch-style building, at 3607 Highway D (near DD) in Defiance, Missouri 63341. This is referred to today as Our Lady's Inn - St. Charles. The St. Charles home can house up to 15 families at a time.

     Present

• Our Lady's Inn-St. Louis stands today as a testament to the perseverance and vision of the many founders, volunteers, donors, staff members, clients, supporters, funders and others who believe that every child has a right to be born and every pregnant mom has the right to give birth with dignity.