Tucked away in the historic Lower 9th Ward is a sanctuary for the senior population. Many of the people who live at Villa St. Maurice say they enjoy the reduced rents and the safety they feel at the independent living facility for seniors.

Villa St. Maurice is one of 16 facilities run by Christopher Homes, a senior living ministry with the Archdiocese of New Orleans. 

The expansive property boasts several community spaces which includes places for prayer as well as recreation. There’s a pool table and a thrift store at the site. Anyone can buy or donate at the thrift store. The proceeds go right back to the residents. Community manager Tanisha Goodman says her seniors are very active in the thrift store. Goodman says they were able to purchase several rocking chairs because of the money made there. Those chairs are now a place where residents can meet up and enjoy the outdoors.
 

“I like the fact that I can go outside in the nice breeze and enjoy the trees,” says Joyce Noel, a resident at Villa St. Maurice. While sitting on the balcony, Noel can also overlook the hard work of many residents. The property is also home to a vegetable garden. That’s something that the residents are working to grow.

A SENSE OF COMMUNITY:

 “It’s a joy to be here, and I’m blessed to be here,” says resident Sherine Stelly.  Stelly also says that people at Villa St. Maurice come together to help whenever they can. 

Patricia Tillman, one of the community organizers at Villa St. Maurice says that some people arrive with very little. She says, “I get on a mission with some of the people here and try to find whatever they need to make them feel better. 

Tillman says, “We have a group on the 4th floor, it’s called the Golden Girls, we get together and find out who has what they don’t need. If they’re moving into a smaller apartment they may have things like furniture and clothing that can be given to someone else.”

Another way Tillman engages with her neighbors, is by cooking for them. “I cook a lot, so therefore I feed people that are not able to feed themselves. So I cook and distribute food.”

Another resident, Bennett Morehead, says he helps people move their furniture into their apartments when they arrive, “I help keep the place clean, fix things, put furniture together for people.”

OUR RESIDENTS ARE GRATEFUL: 

Many of the 83 people living at Villa St. Maurice have a positive attitude. Joyce Noel is one of them. She says, “I love my apartment, I really do, I like the people, I enjoy the atmosphere.”

That’s an attitude that’s echoed in the sentiments of many of the people living at Villa St. Maurice.

Resident Joyce Harris says, “It’s just a great place to live. You meet a lot of new people, a lot of friendly people.”