Most people are familiar with Room in the Inn through its Winter Shelter program where Middle Tennessee congregations offer beds and a meal or two to people experiencing homelessness.

But there is a lot more to this Middle Tennessee nonprofit organization which is celebrating its 40th anniversary this year.

“We want the congregations to know that they are part of the bigger picture,” said Jeff Moles, director of formation for Room in the Inn, who says Room in the Inn here provides a variety of services to about 4,000 individuals experiencing homelessness every year.

Here are a few other things to know about Room in the Inn and the growing homeless population it serves.

*There are about 2,100 people experiencing homelessness on any given night in Nashville, but Room in the Inn typically provides services to about 4,000 individuals in need of its resources over the course of a year.

*While the Winter Shelter program is focused on cold weather and winter needs, Room in the Inn offers year-round crisis support and long-term solutions in health, education, income and housing.

*Part of that is serving 250 lunches a day at the main campus on Drexel Street in downtown Nashville. Volunteers are a big part of this effort.

*Room in the Inn’s Hope University offers more than 6,000 classes and activities on topics in continuing education, creative arts, health, income, housing and more. Volunteers and community partners offered 3,000 volunteer hours as teachers at Hope University.

*Personal hygiene resources are offered at Room in the Inn, including offering 10,450 showers, the washing of 1,400 loads of laundry and access to a weekly foot clinic.

*More than 130,000 meals were shared last winter through the Winter Shelter program that the congregations offer from Nov. 1-March 31.

*Last winter (November through March) the Winter Shelter program was offered through 114 congregations, which provided 16,500 beds to neighbors experiencing homelessness.

*Identification is a big part of clients’ access to income and housing and Room in the Inn helped its clients obtain more 1,100 IDs and birth certificates last year. Moles said that without identification, clients have a hard time obtaining housing or jobs. “We help people be ready for housing,” Moles said.

*Over this year, 108 clients obtained permanent housing and moved into their own place.

*Room in the Inn also provided 48 permanent supportive affordable housing units with wraparound support through the on-site Residential Program.

If you want to donate items or to host a drive, the most needed items include what they call “Five to Survive” which highlights the need for coats, hats, gloves, scarves and handwarmers. Room in the Inn also needs toiletries, and magazines and books.

“Ever since the downtown library closed (after the June fire in the library parking garage) we have seen a real need for books,” Moles said. “Used books would be very helpful.”

He said volunteers are always in demand to help serve and prepare meals, to teach classes and to get more congregations involved.

For more information, see roomintheinn.org.

ROOM IN THE INN

“Room in the Inn is a simple concept addressing a complex problem. It starts with building relationships of trust and respect in an atmosphere of non-violence. It believes in the power of love offered in one-to-one encounters with one another.” – the late Charles Strobel, founder of Room in the Inn

Mary Hance, who has four decades of journalism experience in the Nashville area, writes a weekly Ms. Cheap column. She also appears on Thursdays on Talk of the Town on NewsChannel5. Reach her at mscheap@mainstreetmediatn.com and follow her on Facebook as Facebook.com/mscheap.

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