ROOM IN THE INN (RITI) — A Meaningful Connection to the Homeless
by Mike Tyson
One of my more rewarding volunteer activities this year was spending the morning of April 3rd at the Homeless Connect at First Presbyterian Church. This is an annual event where the homeless in Fort Worth can receive on-the-spot services ranging from health care to assistance with food, housing and jobs.
It was my good fortune to work as an appointment taker at the haircutting station, where up to 20 hair stylists volunteered their time to transform completely the image of more than 100 homeless clients. Many hair stylists took “selfies” with their clients who not only sported a new look, but a huge smile!
One of the best things about participating in this event was seeing many of our friends who have been guests at RITI this past year. After an exchange of greetings, they always asked, “How is everyone at St. Stephen?” generally followed by, “I miss seeing you each week and look forward to returning to St. Stephen this summer.”
Which brings me to the subject of sharing the RITI volunteer experience with you:
I became involved in RITI last summer, shortly after joining SSPC. RITI has been significant to me—not only because it has provided a meaningful connection to the issue of homelessness by giving it faces, names and life stories that could be any of ours—but also because it has built friendships with SSPC members with common concerns. This is an important mission of St. Stephen, and I encourage you to do yourself a favor by getting involved.
In case you’re not familiar—RITI is our outreach project to homeless in our community. During the hottest and coldest months of the year, our guests are provided a comfortable place to sleep in a friendly environment, as well as a good dinner and breakfast the following morning. The summer session of Room in the Inn will begin Tuesday, July 1 and will continue each Tuesday evening/ Wednesday morning through August 26/ 27.
The following are RITI volunteer opportunities for each week in July and August. The approximate total number of volunteers needed for each job is shown in parentheses. Please note that many volunteers combine several assignments when they attend—for instance, perhaps serving as a driver and dinner host the same evening.
Please contact Wendy Larmour (tx.red@att.net) or me (mike_tyson@sbcglobal.net) with any questions or to volunteer for specific jobs/ dates. Or sign up at this website:
ROOM IN THE INN VOLUNTEER SIGNUP
We will have an orientation session for volunteers the last week of June.
Group participation is welcome—such as your Sunday School class or non-SSPC work associates. For example, Craig Burton enlisted the assistance of his tennis team to serve & host the meal one evening during the winter session.
TUESDAY AFTERNOON/ EVENING
Setup (4) – 3:00pm – 5:00pm
Make beds, set tables and lay out linens, toiletries, games, books & magazine for guests
Drivers (2) – 4:30pm – 5:30pm
Transport guests from Day Resource Center to SSPC in church van.
Dinner Prep/ Cleanup (4) – 4:00pm – 7:00pm
Prepare and serve dinner delivered by church volunteers. Cleanup after meal is served.
Sack Lunch Prep (1) – 4:00pm – 7:00pm
Lay out sandwich preparation materials, chips and cookies for guests to prepare sack lunches to take with them when they leave the next morning.
Dinner Host (4) – 5:00pm – 7:00pm
Share evening meal with guests while facilitating conversation and making everyone feel at home.
Evening Host (4) – 7:00pm – 9:00pm
Spend time with guests— visiting, starting a movie, playing cards, dominoes, etc.
Guest/ Inventory Coordinator (1) – 7:00pm – 9:00pm
Provide a t-shirt and pair of socks to each guest, as well as other items needed/ requested (e.g., reading glasses, earplugs, Bible, cough drops, etc.). Inventory items on hand (including food) to determine what needs to be acquired for the following week.
Innkeeper (2) – 9:00pm – 6:00am
Stay overnight in Parish Hall and respond to any questions or problems that may arise.
WEDNESDAY MORNING
Breakfast Prep/ Host & Cleanup (2) – 5:30am to 8:00am
Prepare and serve breakfast delivered by church volunteers. Assist guests with stripping and storing beds. Cleanup after meal is served and guests depart.
Driver (2) – 7:00am to 8:00am
Transport guests from SSPC to Day Resource Center in church van.
FLEXIBLE TIME JOBS
MEALS
Evening Snack (1) – deliver by 4:30pm Tues
Provide appetizers for 15 guests to enjoy before dinner.
Dinner (1 – 4) – deliver by 3:00pm Tues
Prepare & deliver to church kitchen the menu item(s) specified for Tuesday evening’s meal. 35 servings.
Breakfast (1–2) – deliver by 7:00pm Tues
Prepare & deliver to church kitchen the breakfast meal (e.g., breakfast casseroles). 20 servings.
LAUNDRY
Pick up and wash a tub of laundry (6) – pick up Wed a.m. or after and return to church no later than the following Tues a.m.