July 2021 St. Elizabeth of /Colleen Ozanne Starting with feeding one Born in 1271, St. hand the food out personally and care­ was the daughter of King Peter III of fully oversaw clothes and shelter for . She was named after her the poor…” great­aunt, St. Elizabeth of Hungary, whose love for the poor she also inher­ St. Elizabeth of Portugal saw the face ited. She endured a difficult marriage of Christ in those she served. Colleen to King , and after her Ozanne does, as well. husband’s death she became a Francis­ In one quarter, can Tertiary. Colleen has been a resident of Lincoln for over three decades. As a young A desire to serve the needy was a dis­ widow with two small children, she re­ our Lincoln tinguishing part tired early from of St. Eliza­ her public af­ Emergency beth’s charac­ fairs position to ter. Her many focus on her charitable family. She be­ Services program works included came involved opening a hos­ in her chil­ distributed pital, a home dren’s schools, for homeless the neighbor­ $42,325 to girls, an or­ hood, and her phanage, and a church. As time of went on, her 56 households Poor Clare nuns in . It was in children gently nudged her into doing this community that Elizabeth became something more for herself. for rent, a Franciscan Tertiary after her hus­ band’s death in 1325. During her career in public affairs, her many hats included Media Spokesper­ utilities and Of St. Elizabeth, Pope Benedict XVI son, Registered Lobbyist for the Ne­ wrote: “…she gave drink and eat to braska Legislature, and Philanthropy other needs those who came to her door, she got Coordinator distributing funds to clothes, paid debts, looked after the schools, nonprofits, and communities sick and buried the dead… She would across the state. It was a natural transi­ #HopeintheGoodLife

(Continued on back page) PO Box 30425 Lincoln NE 68503-0425

#HopeintheGoodLife

Starting with feeding one Bringing Hope in the Good Life (continued) tion for Colleen to volunteer in the community that she knew so “What I’m doing brings well. Colleen soon found an opportunity at St. Louise Gift & Thrift Store. purpose to my life.” For eleven years, Colleen has been processing donated shoes for “Being the Volunteer and Food Market Coordinator men, women, and children to be sold or given away at St. Louise here at CSS is the perfect fit for me. I love interacting Gift & Thrift Store. A couple of years ago, CSS learned of her rela­ with others, serving the poor, and tionship with surrounding assisted living facilities. Through her cur­ having co­workers who are the rent work with State Medicare, Colleen shares important health hands and feet of Christ to information with the elderly at senior centers and assisted living those they encounter... homes. She has built great relationships with the supervisors, staff, what I'm doing brings so and patrons and is always quick to identify and respond to their much purpose to my life.” other needs. Desirae Hagenbucher recently joined CSS as the When CSS receives an excess of nonperishable goods, adult dia­ Volunteer and Food Market pers, or fresh fruit and vegetables, Colleen helps redistribute the Coordinator, and her desire to items to those who need them. If we're coming up on a weekend interact with those we serve is a big reason she and the vegetables or fruit that we have may go bad, Colleen wanted to be a part of our mission. If you are quickly comes by and fills her car with items to take to any one of interested in a career that helps bring Hope in the the many places she serves across southern Nebraska such as Good Life, we have the following openings: Firth, Beatrice, Seward, Nebraska City, and Crete. She has touched lVice President of Programs­ Lincoln the lives of hundreds of our clients and taken donations on the lGift & Thrift Manager­ Auburn road to reach even more people in need. lLicensed Mental Health Practitioner­ Lincoln lRegional Director­ Hastings Mother Teresa once said, “If you can't feed a hundred people, then feed just one.” Thank you, Colleen, for starting with one person, To learn more or to apply for these positions, visit and now feeding hundreds. cssshope.org/careers. Volunteer, donate or connect with us! Visit www.csshope.org