Room in the Inn Moves to Thursday Evening

Winter ROOM in the INN Begins THURSDAY, December 14th!

Sign up to volunteer for this winter: https://www.ststephenpresbyterian.com/serve/room-in-the-inn/

Room in the Inn at St. Stephen is moving from Tuesdays to THURSDAYS! And, as Parish Hall is the venue for Amahl and the Night Visitors the first week of December, St. Stephen’s first host date will be Thursday the 14th.

After learning no other RITI churches would be hosting on Thursday nights this winter, St. Stephen decided to make the move to Thursdays and to again host up to 15 men. With two other churches continuing to host on Tuesdays, RITI will be able to offer 14 to 24 beds for unhoused men in Fort Worth every week night.

As most know, Room in the Inn is a hospitality mission for men who are currently homeless. RITI provides an overnight stay at a church in a safe environment, as well as a good dinner and breakfast the following morning. Above all, the key component is offering our heartfelt hospitality.

Thanks to the ongoing support of our members and friends, St. Stephen has been hosting RITI one night each week during five months of the year since December 2007. After its start on the 14th, RITI will continue each Thursday evening and Friday morning through March 1, traditionally our coldest months of the year.

Although vaccinations are not required for volunteers or guests, we HIGHLY RECOMMEND all participants to have had flu shots, and vaccinations for Covid and RSV. This is important for everyone 60+ years of age, and/or who have underlying health conditions.

Listed below are RITI volunteer opportunities for each week. 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, or assisting with dinner preparation and staying overnight as an innkeeper.

Please contact Mike Tyson (mike_tyson@sbcglobal.net, 817-372-3127) with any questions or to volunteer for specific jobs/ dates. Or go to the Sign-Up Genius link 

We look forward to your participation in RITI— an experience that is equally meaningful to our volunteers and our guests.

THURSDAY AFTERNOON/ EVENING

Setup (4) – 3:30pm – 5:00pm
Make beds, set tables, prepare snacks and lay out toiletries, games, books & magazines for guests.

Drivers (2) – 4:00pm – 5:30pm
Transport guests from True Worth Place to SSPC in church van.

Dinner Prep/ Cleanup (4) – 4:30pm – 7:00pm
Prepare and serve dinner delivered by church volunteers. Cleanup after meal is served.

Sack Lunch Prep (1) – 4:00pm – 7:00pm
Prepare sandwiches and sack lunches for guests to take with them when they leave the next morning.

Dinner Host (4) – 5:00pm – 7:00pm
Serve and 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.

Innkeepers (2) – 9:00pm – 6:00am
Stay overnight in Parish Hall and respond to any questions or problems that may arise.

FRIDAY MORNING

Breakfast Prep/ Host & Cleanup (3) – 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.

Drivers (2) – 7:00am to 8:00am
Transport guests from SSPC to True Worth Place in church van.

FLEXIBLE TIME JOBS

MEALS

Dinner (1–3) – deliver by 4:00pm Thursday
Cook/ prepare & deliver to church kitchen the menu item(s) specified for Thursday evening’s meal. 25 – 30 servings.

Breakfast (1–2) – deliver by 9:00pm Thursday
Cook/ 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 Friday a.m. or after and return to church no later than the following Thursday a.m.