Current state of affairs, our mission

Renée Borie Blanche – Deputy Director/Director of Development,
Ozanam Inn

Renée is a native of Baton Rouge and has lived in New Orleans for over 25 years.

After a successful career in the corporate world, as a buyer for a national chain of clothing stores, Mrs. Blanche felt she needed to make a more important and lasting impact in society. For many years, she volunteered with a homeless shelter in New York City and felt a strong connection.

Upon moving back to Louisiana, Renée opened a clothing store, in the French Quarter, which she had for 5 years, all while volunteering with Covenant House and the NOAIDS Task Force. After a 2-year stint at the House of Blues, helping to open the Foundation Room, Renée decided to pursue her passion for helping others.

In September, 2004, Renée began her career in non-profit fund-raising at Covenant House New Orleans as Marketing Director and a year later was promoted to Director of Development. During her time at Covenant House, she helped raise awareness about homelessness, increased the budget and helped pursue program opportunities.  She was very involved in the evacuation and out of town shelter and assistance to the residents of Covenant House during several hurricanes.

In 2012, Mrs. Blanche joined the team at Ozanam Inn, a homeless shelter and service provider in downtown New Orleans since 1955, as the first, ever, Director of Development. Since her time at the Inn, the annual budget has more than tripled and programs, to assist the homeless, have increased tremendously.

In 2019, Ozanam Inn was made aware that the owners of the building they had occupied for 65 years was to be sold. The Inn is extremely grateful for decades of being allowed to use the building at 843 Camp St. to provide our services. Ozanam Inn has identified a building to move and expand their services to include shelter and residential programs for women, something they were unable to offer on Camp St. Ozanam Inn will be, officially, kicking off their capital campaign for the new location in the coming months and hope to be in their new location in Spring of 2021.

Renée has been married for 23 years to Frederick Blanche, IV, a nurse/public health professional, has one, wonderful, son who is a senior in high school and an avid soccer player, and has 2 precious dogs. She is the youngest of 5 and spends as much time with her family as possible.