5th Graders Put Their Faith into Action

April 29, 2013

The 5th grade class at St. Peter's Catholic Church in Kirkwood put their "faith into action" by taking the words of St. Teresa to heart through a mission project to help the homeless. Because their church is a one of our night sites, the students chose to focus their efforts on the children served by Room at the Inn.

Client Moves to Transitional Housing

April 16, 2013

Nineteen-year-old Dwanna Washington arrived at Room at the Inn on March 8 and is leaving April 11. “My family kicked me out of the house when my son, E.J., was just two months old. I stayed with my boyfriend at an Economy Inn for about two months until we could no longer afford it,” recalls Dwanna.

Motivated Clients Referred to Housing

March 1, 2013

“We had been homeless for a while, moving from shelter to shelter. We called the St. Louis County Homeless Hotline and they referred us to Room at the Inn. It has been uphill ever since!” says Karla Thomas.

A Special Collection for Room

February 22, 2013

Nine-year-old Natasha Theusch is proof that anyone, at any age, can make a difference. Natasha and her mother, Amy, are members of Central Reform Congregation (CRC), which has served as a Room at the Inn night site since 2010.

Night Site Coordinator Receives Ruby Award

November 16, 2012

“Homelessness does not define who you are or what you are. Homelessness is just the circumstances you are in at a particular time in your life,” says Jacqueline Proctor. Jacqueline, a member of John Knox Presbyterian Church in Florissant, has been the Room at the Inn night site coordinator at her congregation for nearly seven years.

MegaBuild! Computer Project a Success

October 22, 2012

Everything we do at and for Room at the Inn involves computers. Every staff member and every homeless client uses a computer for a variety of tasks ranging from searching or applying for employment or housing to writing grant applications and stories, tracking outcomes and scheduling volunteers.

Single Father Finds Employment

September 24, 2012

Terrence, a single father with a four-year-old daughter, Taleah, was living with a family member until the home they were staying in went into foreclosure. From day one at Room, Terrence was determined to find a job. Previously employed as a landscaper, he planted flowers in front of Room’s building because he wanted to be helpful.

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Welcome to Room at the Inn

Room at the Inn is a temporary, emergency shelter for homeless women and families, regardless of the age or gender of the children. We empower program participants to create their own solution to their homelessness through education and referrals. We serve about 200 people per year, including single mothers with their children, single women, two-parent or single-father families. With a capacity of 20 people per day, we assist the homeless in the St. Louis area. Sponsored by the Sisters of Divine Providence since 1993, Room at the Inn is a 501(c)(3) agency incorporated in Missouri.

We are bolstered by more than 2,000 regular yearly volunteers, representing 15 different faiths and a wide range of socioeconomic backgrounds. We collaborate with more than 50 outside agencies to make needed services available for our clients. We are the catalyst that allows the community to help the homeless.

Recent Client Outcomes

Room at the Inn is one of only three emergency shelter providers in the St. Louis County Continuum of Care.
Our recent outcomes include:

100% of adult clients (staying longer than seven days) had physical-health, mental-health and substance-abuse evaluations. (Goal is 90%)
100% of clients (staying longer than four days) needing social services were made aware of available resources and were referred to appropriate agencies. (Goal is 95%)
98% of clients received transportation to employment, social service agencies and educational appointments as needed. (Goal is 100%)
99% of clients (staying longer than four days) were made aware of, and assisted with applying for, longer-term housing as appropriate. (Goal is 100%)
100% of children started the enrollment process (within three days of entering Room at the Inn) or remained in school throughout the homeless episode. We empower parents through advocacy assistance about their children’s educational rights. (Goal is 100%)
While in shelter, 100% of clients (staying longer than four days) undertook at least two activities designed to break their cycle of homelessness, e.g., budgeting classes, group support, employment search, etc. (Goal is 85%)
23 clients (16 households) were ready for sustainable housing and were placed into permanent or transitional housing. (Goal is 40-50 households)