Big Charity: The Death of America's Oldest Hospital Friends of the Cabildo Film Series January 21, 2020. Showing at 5:30 PM. & 7 PM. Inside the New Orleans Jazz Museum - 400 Esplanade Ave. Pre-purchase tickets online at http://bit.ly/bigcharity or call 504.523.3939. Founded as a hospital for the poor, Charity Hospital began in 1736 as just a small cottage built on the goodwill of a dying French merchant. Operated by nuns of The Daughters of Charity and serving the city of New Orleans for close to 300 years, it gradually transformed into an enormous public institution - into Big Charity - and a longstanding symbol of compassion, a seemingly eternal place of safety and a beacon of hope in the community. Today the towering art deco building, closed abruptly after Hurricane Katrina hit in August 2005, stands empty, and the community continues to suffer the devastating consequences of its absence. This documentary film includes never-before-seen footage and exclusive interviews to tell the story of Charity Hospital, from its roots to its controversial closing in the wake of Hurricane Katrina. From the firsthand accounts of healthcare providers and hospital employees who miraculously withstood the storm inside the hospital, to interviews with key players involved in the closing of Charity and the opening of New Orleans' newest hospital, Big Charity shares the untold, true story around its closure and sheds new light on the sacrifices made for the sake of progress.