What We Do
We do this work with the aid of nonprofit community partner True Worth Place https://trueworthplace.org to identify & screen our guests. Thru TWC, prospective guests are interviewed & screened by staff caseworkers. Once approved for Room in the Inn, our guests go through an orientation to learn what they can expect and what will be expected of them. They are registered for lodging at a participating church; volunteers from each congregation pick up their guests between 4:00 & 4:30 from True Worth Place, 1513 E Presidio St @ Cypress St, Fort Worth, and drive them to the church. Guests and hosts share a meal & conversation together, and a comfortable place to sleep is waiting. Evening hosts may visit, play games or perhaps watch a movie with our guests. Two volunteer Innkeepers sleep at the church, available for needs that might arise overnight. Wake-up call is 6 a.m. Breakfast is served @ 6:30, and the guests are returned by our volunteer drivers to True Worth Place Day Shelter at 7 a.m.
What is Room in the Inn?
Room in the Inn is a collaborative ministry of 15+ congregations in Fort Worth, which join together in a ministry of hospitality to homeless persons in our community. We open our church buildings to provide welcoming, hospitable spaces for persons without a home during the hottest and coldest months of the year; and respond to the very human need for inclusion in community.
The Inn is Open
During the summer heat, Room in the Inn is offered in July and August; in winter, during December, January, and February. Each church hosts Room in the Inn guests one night a week. Our night is Wednesdays, and we host 5 male guests. The basics of the program are simple: Church volunteers provide our guests with transportation to & from SHCC, dinner, a safe place to sleep, breakfast and most importantly, genuine hospitality.
How to Get Involved
Come be part of the “Inn crowd”! There is a place for everyone who wishes to participate in this transformative ministry to find a place to serve! Volunteers are needed to make beds, set tables, prepare dinner & breakfast, be Hosts & Innkeepers, provide transportation and do laundry.
Volunteer
This online sign-up site has brief descriptions of each Volunteer task, and all available dates/positions can be seen & selected in real time. Training and orientation, provided for volunteers interested in participating in Room in the Inn, is highly recommended.
Our Partners
South Hills Christian Church and First Congregational United Church of Christ http://fwfccucc.org partner together to engage in this community ministry. Our guests are hosted at the SHCC building, and both congregations provide volunteers, as well as donations of bath towels, bed linens, kitchen supplies, travel-size toiletries, magazines, newspapers, reading glasses or $ to purchase essential items.