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Dr. Channing Shippen is a Doctor of Music Therapy and Professor at Belmont University. She leads music therapy sessions at Room In The Inn alongside her students as part of our Hope University programming. She cherishes our community members and shares our values of respect, love, and belonging.
Dave is our Manager of Engagement & Education at Room In The Inn! Through coordinating our Hope University education programming and being in community, he offers what he calls "the dignity of sharing in delight!" He shared, "I love to interact with people, I love to see people smile, and I try my best to make that happen here. I feel like amongst this population, that's one of the things most needed is delight and joy and something that brings a smile amidst difficult circumstances. If I can do that - even if it's momentary - that's why I'm here."
Taylor is a longtime friend of Room In The Inn. He got involved as a student at Vanderbilt Law School, starting a program which has since become our monthly Legal Clinic. Interviewed here with his wife, Lauren Loew, he shares one reason he chooses to spend so much time volunteering in Winter Shelter and our Café.
Community Baptist member Thelma Rucker volunteered for many years on campus at Room In The Inn. When she passed, the church got involved with Winter Shelter to celebrate her legacy. They have faithfully continued to serve with us through the pandemic and a tornado which destroyed their church building. They serve with a special spirit and a loving heart.
Ian has been volunteering with his dad since he was in middle school. Ian has now just graduated high school! Room In The Inn is a place where families can volunteer together and we are grateful that Ian and Ray share their time with us. Ian often brings lollipops and mints to pass to participants as they depart for the evening.
Ray and his son started volunteering for Winter Shelter several years ago and are both integral parts of Room In The Inn's Saturday night team. They bring smiles to our faces each time they are here. Ray is known for his impromptu community meals after nights of service. He has committed to carrying on his son's legacy by introducing young people to the work we do.
Martina has been a cornerstone of our team for many years and now serves as Room In The Inn’s Director of Operations. She began volunteering when her son needed service hours and has been part of our community ever since. She shared, “The commitment to service and joy that brings has not diminished with the passing of time.”
Cathedral of the Incarnation was one of the early congregations to be involved with Winter Shelter. They often take large groups and use multiple cars to transport guests to the place of worship each night they serve. They provide hospitality and a warm and loving atmosphere.
Our Savior has been a longtime Winter Shelter congregation. During the pandemic, they expanded their service by hosting cookouts for our apartment residents on campus. They have also hosted us for staff training and are always willing to help. They have a deep understanding of why we do what we do and we are grateful they are part of our community.
Laughter is the best medicine. Room In The Inn volunteer Robert Kent, taking this seriously, applies humor generously when teaching classes in our Hope University. His jokes have been described by some as "cheesy," or "dad jokes," but Robert perseveres. He believes in offering healing through humor. "I think the most powerful and eye-opening thing since I've started coming down to Room In The Inn was how our guests here were hungry for respect and just normal interaction - how they crave being treated like everybody else." "I want to give them a pleasant, fun experience that might provide kind of a break in their day and give them a certain degree of normalcy." Robert's gift of humor is a lesson in treating others how we want to be treated - finding joy in laughing (and maybe cringing) together in community.
William Boyd is a Room In The Inn Ambassador and member of our permanent supportive housing community. Here, he shares his gift of song!
Sid was one of our summer interns from Montgomery Bell Academy between his sophomore and junior years of high school. He enjoyed engaging with the community through our dining services program and other activities. This is what he shared of his time at Room In The Inn: "It was a great experience. I worked a lot with the community development team. I worked on various projects, like the t-shirt drive that happened, and I served lunch every day. And those two are honestly the highlights of my time here. I had a lot of fun interacting with the community. All the people here are super welcoming and kind, which I really appreciated. I learned that homelessness isn't really an end-all, be-all situation for people. There are ways for people to escape their situation, but that can only be achieved with support and patience. And that's what Room In The Inn offers - a lot of support and patience. It's like no man left behind."
Tim Pierce volunteers with our Hope University education programming at Room In The Inn! In his class, community members have the opportunity to sit back and enjoy a classic movie together - a joy which some of us may take for granted! He understands the value of listening well, in movie class and beyond, and is truly an expert at making our participants feel heard.
Jim has been sharing what Charlie told him is the “ministry of presence” with our community for over a decade. He is a faithful servant in the Guest House where he warmly welcomes and sits with guests each evening he is here. He also volunteers for Call the Name and honors those who have passed with his presence.
