#13 Room in the Inn – Rene Platten

Amy (00:01) Welcome to Just a Thought with Amy Keys. We are here to inspire, educate, inform, and entertain. On today's episode, I am so pleased and excited to welcome Renee Platton, who is here to talk about a fantastic ministry called Room in the Inn. Welcome, Renee. So

Rene (00:19) Thank you, glad to be here.

Amy (00:21) glad you're here. Thanks for taking the time to do this. Anybody who knows Renee knows that she takes time for.

Everybody. So this will become somewhat effortless for you, I think, being here. it's about everybody else. But I thought it would be good to talk about how we got involved, both of us got involved in Room in the End, and then tell everybody all about Room in the End. So tell us about how you got involved in Room in the Inn.

Rene (00:47) Well, about thirteen years ago I was I provide dinner at Manna House down around Cleveland and Jefferson. On Monday nights they do a they help the certain people during the week and the daytime, but at Monday nights they do more on Monday and we feed between seventy to ninety people. And this was thirteen years ago, so that is where room in the inn was picking up at that time. Well they didn't

Then there was people, it was we were finishing feeding one group, there's people waiting outside for the vans to come and pick them up and take them to Colonial Cumberland Presbyterian Church. And I had a man, a young guy that s just looked at me and said, Do you think I'll get a bed? Do you think I'll get a bed? And he would only get one because his name wasn't on the list. They had already been kind of pre-screened to see if they could go. But he just looked at me and

And in i see did it like three different times and he I felt like God was saying, Do you think I'll get a bed? And it just went through me. Like I could just feel it all through my body. And I didn't say it out loud, but I said, I don't know if he'll get a bed, but I'm gonna do everything I can to make sure there are more beds available in the city of Memphis. So that's how it started.

Amy (02:12) And wow, have you done that?

Rene (02:15) Well thank you. And I love it. I'm I'm crazy about room in the inn and that's how I got started. But like when I had a little boy that was writing on the chalkboard and said, Do you th do you think can we stay here forever? And I said, Well, you can stay here tonight and he goes, 'Cause this is the best shelter I've ever been at. And I thought unfortunately that means he's been at several but that just, you know

more in my heart. And early the summer we had a mom that was sitting across from me that at dinner and said, she was so tired. She just I thought she was going to fall asleep while we were eating. But I said, Ooh, you look tired. You need to get to bed quick and she said, Miss Renee, I have been sleeping outside the bus station with my little boy the last two nights. And she goes, I I couldn't sleep. I had to protect him.

And I that's how I added more nights to the summer s shelter too. But so that's what keeps me going. The the guest keep me going. That's how I got started and that's what feeds me.

Amy (03:27) I got started because of you because you came to the church women's group, I wanna say it was twenty fourteen, twenty fifteen. It's been a minute. And you came and spoke about all of this and got all of us involved. And it just the one story that I remember you telling me was about a lady who preferred to be homeless and on the streets than be abused. So she had to run. And I will never forget that story.

You didn't give her personal details. You just told us in a very eloquent way that that you do about her. And I still kind of wonder I never knew her, but I've still wondered about her. but what I like about Room in the Inn is that it is something that is on the front lines. So I like to sit across the table from someone and I might be the only person that's talked to them or given them attention all day long. So that is why I like the ministry so much because

You know, you're trying to fill everybody else's cup, but your cup's filled too when you leave. Mm-hmm. So it

Rene (04:30) It's a personal connection.

Amy (04:31) is, it is. And being a people person, I think that's why it is it it is important to me. But I have told you in the past how when I I wear their troubles and their journeys on me so hard that Sean is always like, You can't do that. You have to help them and you can't bring it home and worry a week later where they are. I'm like, Well, that's what I'm gonna do. So I can't help that.

But but okay, so now we know how we both got involved. Tell us about like Room in the Inn, its founding, its purpose, how it's grown. Just talk to us a little bit about some of that.

Rene (05:05) Okay. It got started, Father Charles Strobel started it in Nashville forty years ago and he it he was a at a church s sort of close to downtown and he kept having homeless people sleeping in the parking lot at the church at night and he his apartment was there that he where he lived and he it got really cold and he just said, Yeah, I've got all these empty pews here. I'm gonna

Bring couple in. And it was he did that and you know, it was a couple, then there were more as the word got out that he might let them come indoors. And then his parishioners, he was telling many of them about it, and they started bringing sandwiches, takeaway bags, things like that to help feed them too. And now it is a a huge program in Nashville. And when he

L Lisa Anderson, who started it here in Memphis like seventeen years ago, two thousand nine, she had heard about him. He came to Memphis a few times to talk to them about room in the end, try to get more churches involved and tell them what works, what doesn't work. And she d the whole idea behind it is just to provide a warm, safe bed, a meal.

churches, if they have a shower, they can shower there and we have w where we host that we have two wash machines they can wash their clothes too. So

Amy (06:42) How many organizations, ministries, churches are now involved in Memphis?

Rene (06:47) We had forty churches last season, the winter season, which is November through March. And we started doing the summer season, which some people still don't know we do that, but it's miserably hot in the summer and it's still not safe for women and children out there. And we we only have twenty churches doing it in the summertime. It's for a lot of

churches it's harder for them to get volunteers right something or they're can't commit for the

Amy (07:21) And I know I know based on the seasons, there's different needs the guests have. I was always struck years ago when I would help in the summer, how you know, mosquito repellent, because a lot of them are downtown Memphis and the Mississippi River is right there. Mm-hmm. and sunscreen and things like that that you don't really think about. And my son, if you recall, can you believe it's been nine years ago? He was Chris was so

affected and impacted by Room in the Inn, thanks to you. he did his Eagle Scout project for it. And three thousand five hundred pairs of socks he drummed up because he realized that, you know, these people can't stop. They have to keep walking. And what do you need to walk? Comfortable shoes and socks. When it rains, your socks get wet. no. And that was such a reward it was a very proud moment for me to see him

Rene (08:20) Me too. His goal I think was like a thousand pair of socks and tripled it.

Amy (08:20) Do that. Yeah. It was a it was amazing. Yeah.

And Lisa Anderson, everybody was so helpful to make th make it easy on him. And I remember we brought a trailer of blue bins of socks. my god. But the needs changed so much that he saw that. And I love bringing up Father Charles Strobel, who founded it, the quote Sanctuary.

is defined by the people, not the space, which means if if you're listening to this and your church, synagogue, temple, any any organization has a space to house people, it's just one night, maybe a week or a month, whatever you can do. And it's room in the inn, I think, under the leadership of Lisa Anderson and people like you, make it easy on the congregations to do it.

I I find it's very well oiled machine.

Rene (09:22) It is.

Amy (09:23) from transporting them to because they all check in and are vetted at the is it on airs?

Rene (09:29) Yeah. Okay. No, it's at on Second Street in Church downtown. Yes. We still do that 'cause that's where so many of them are walking. They'll have to take a you know, it's a long walk to the heirs location. But the

Presbyterian

church there on the corner allows us to let them come in like at four o'clock, they check in and they're screened. They have to fill out cards and when they're first when it's their first night there.

saying who they are, who who a contact person is, what kind of medications they're on, just for emergency situations.

Amy (10:00) And I've never felt unsafe. Maybe others have, but I have not. My family has never felt unsafe. I feel like the vetting is done very well through the

Rene (10:09) Yes.

Amy (10:10) the the the organization as a whole with Room in the Inn. Yeah.

Rene (10:17) And

they have them watch a video of what would be expected of them and and they kind of police each other also. I I've been doing it twelve years. We do it every Wednesday night. You know, I I mean we've we've served thousands, but and we've never had an incident. I mean I think that is just amazing. I didn't even think that when I first started, that it would be s that calm. They're so grateful.

Amy (10:38) There's

I was gonna say they're so grateful. They're so grateful. So accommodation services, I love that it is it is truly hospitality of breaking bread with each other. We're not just plopping a plate in front of somebody. and I think that makes the guests feel like they matter. Like somebody's here to talk to me, someone's gonna listen to me. And I think that's really important to emphasize.

to people listening to this that it's not a soup kitchen. Soup kitchens are great. I have volunteered the soup kitchen. It's a completely different thing though. And so but Rim and the In also offers connections to help people with resources, right? Like there's other ways. Like if someone's like, I'm really trying to find affordable living, do you guys kind of guide them in those ways too?

Rene (11:30) We would tell them organizations they could contact. Okay. I mean, even for dental care. right right now I just told about Catholic charities this week about their new eyeglass program. They have they're giving eye exams and providing eyeglasses for people. I might tell them, you know, I just tell them whatever their needs are. Right. I told them about Shelby County schools, who to contact if their children are not in school yet.

Amy (11:56) Right.

Rene (12:00) Get him in the school.

Amy (12:01) Well, I'm glad that you brought up the school part because you have some staggering statistics about we can go right into that. Okay. About the statistics. I got some of my own, which were in the United States of America, approximately 745,652 homeless. Four hundred and seventy nine thousand three hundred of those are considered sheltered.

And two hundred and sixty-six thousand three hundred are considered unsheltered. This is all according to Department of Housing and Urban Development. Families represent a third of this. Adults aged thirty-five to forty-four are the largest group. Over fifty-five, about twenty percent of homeless. Thirty-five thousand veterans are homeless. And that is unacceptable. we've got to do better. And the leading

places in the country for homelessness. And granted, I'm not a statistics HUD Department of Housing and Urban Development expert. I just did my homework. Washington, DC, New York, and California, with California with has half the homeless population of the country. Wow. So that's like a big picture, but I know you have a more local picture that I think would be good to talk to us about.

Rene (13:28) Well, I'll just say like when we first started doing this, we were hosting men and then it became we saw a lot of single women and in prob in around COVID, we would see every once in a while we'd see a mom and child and after COVID, it at right now, like last Wednesday, we had fourteen people, ten of them were kids. Ten kids, four moms.

We are we are hosting families ninety eight percent of the time at our our Late of Perpetual Help, we host on every Wednes on Wednesdays and there's only one other church in the winter that hosts there's two on Wednesdays, so we alwa most always get the families. Plus we have the rooms are a little separated for them. They're not all in one room. So we can take boys, you know, if they have sons or

We've ha we have single dads too with have their children have come to room in the inn. But you were talking about the numbers are just unbelievable. In December 2023, they haven't posted anything new, but I know the numbers are probably higher now because that's who we see so many families. Yeah. And in twenty twenty three, Shelby County Schools reported close to three thousand identified

cases of students experiencing homelessness. But realistically they said the numbers are yeah.

Amy (15:00) That's gotta be low.

Rene (15:02) They said they're much higher. Because you know, the parents don't say, well, we are the kids, might not say, well, we're homeless. Right. They just, you know, they just they just don't they're not identified. But if they are, they do have a program where they will help them get their school uniforms or supplies, help

them know what school might be closest for them. We have the children they leave in the morning with their school uniforms on. And this week this week, I'd say seven of the ten are we did start school on time this s season. And they the moms will take put them on a bus in the morning. They'll take on a bus to their school. They count on the buses running on time because they have

Yeah, pick up, right. They gotta get there, they gotta pick up. They have to be there waiting for getting back on the bus. But I I give the mom so much credit for that. They're they're Yeah.

Amy (16:00) Yeah.

Rene (16:01) They're trying.

Amy (16:03) That's too many kids. Like that that is that is just and none should be. None of them should be. But the fact that they're going and getting vetted downtown and then they get their transportation through the churches and organizations to where they're going to stay that night and have, you know, safety, safe harbor from the streets and the elements and the people. And they're then

going the next day back downtown and then they have to go to where they take the bus to school. That is a lot. That is that's a lot. How do we how do we f change it? I mean, it's got to be so complex.

Rene (16:42) Yeah.

Well, you said how'd we change it? But the common reasons that there we were seeing so many homeless people is it's the lack of low income housing, higher rents, job loss. We've had people who their house caught on fire and it takes so much time for them to g start over again, death of a primary provider, the family member that they were living with. We have many had that

you had mentioned earlier fleeing domestic violence situations and I've had sex trafficking women that have run from that and just trying to start over.

You know, they if they lose their job, you know, they're living paycheck to paycheck and a lot of them and once they lose their apartment and get evicted, it takes seven years to get that off of their public record. Wow.

Amy (17:42) Wow.

Rene (17:43) And it is I know a lot of them who have tried to find apartments or houses and you they can

Amy (17:51) The department won't let them seven years. Wow.

Rene (17:54) you know, if unless they find a

private landlord and they will give them a chance, but they're gonna charge them a higher depo deposit. Right. And a two to three months rent. Well that's almost impossible. That if you're living you were living paycheck to paycheck before you lost your apartment and then you get your job and it just takes forever to build that money back up.

Amy (18:21) glad that you brought that up too because I do think there are stereotypes. It's how how we are. And and through my experience, I have seen and I don't think people understand this that the working poor is a real thing. I

Rene (18:37) gosh, yes.

Amy (18:38) met a I met a gentleman, this it's probably been 10 years, and he worked at Denny's. I mean he had his he came with his uniform on. I

Rene (18:46) I remember him.

Amy (18:47) still remember his name. I don't want to use his name, but I still remember his name.

Tall, thin, handsome man. And he worked at Denny's and he had another job. And he had literally had to like go to work the next morning or had come from work. Both he was working like 18 hours a day, but he couldn't afford the rent, the bills, the food, he c the expenses of living. So he was the working poor. And the first thing he had to give up was residency where he live, like somewhere to live. and

So the working poor is real and that's why you should never judge because you do not know what circumstances are. I do know that some people I have met in it or in other ministries prefer to be home. They they don't want help or they want to be where they are because it's away from abusive situations or it's safer to them to be there and that is tragic. Safer to be for any woman to say, I'd rather be on the streets than the alternative is

I I can't fathom that.

Rene (19:51) I've had guests that were working three jobs. Just I mean, they weren't f three full time jobs, but just they can only get twelve hours here. They'll do it I mean, that would be tough. Yeah. But you you had asked me about the misconceptions about being homeless and I had fun this week I asked my volunteers that what did they think the misconceptions w are and they kinda got angry. They're like, Well, that they're lazy or that they don't work and

Like you were just talking. And substance abusers, they'll s you know, people think they're all on drugs and that I know my people cannot afford drugs. And,

Amy (20:31) Right, right. Right.

Rene (20:33) you know, most of them with being the families and everything, they're it's situational what put them in this position. Right. And hopefully it's temporary. You know. This is a just a band aid, a transitional place for them to go. But and people think that it's just men or women.

when the numbers of families have greatly increased, or like you had said, that they choose to be homeless, some people think, you know, they want to live under the bridge. And I would say it's such a a very low number that choose to live on the streets. And it I would suspect that they're struggling with a mental health situation. So and those we don't get them at room in the inn because they're screened. And if they were under the influence, they would say, hey,

Try again tomorrow.

Amy (21:21) Right, right. And I do

you do you see a trend with like no support network? How maybe a mom has a few kids, the the dad is not in the picture anymore, the mom can't afford daycare, so she can't afford to work. I mean, I think some of that stuff is going on too.

Rene (21:37) Yes, for sure.

Amy (21:38) and I mean I the support network you need as a mom is enormous, right? Like and so there's so many circumstances that people don't realize until you are

sitting with these people and hear their stories. Mm-hmm. And I've sat with guests who are super quiet, really don't want to talk, or some just want to go to bed. They've been on their feet all day. Yeah. Right. So

Rene (22:01) Walking,

trying to not be stopped by the police or w and wondering what they're doing and things like that. Mm-hmm. Yeah, they're they're exhausted.

Amy (22:12) D do they come from a specific area more of Memphis because they're walking to where they're vetted downtown. So are they more downtown, midtown? Okay.

Rene (22:23) Yes.

Yes. Maybe around that Cleveland, Jefferson area and downtown is is probably the most pe homeless people that are there.

Amy (22:38) Mm. Mm. And I just I'm I mean

Rene (22:41) Well and it also shows you I was looking at a map about the poverty levels in the city of Memphis and that's it's all that area the furthest east. Right. You know, all along the map there.

Amy (22:53) Right. I I I have you heard of the Joshua Project? It's a new organization. They're handling Sycamore View area over by two forty. And I heard them speak last week and the founder said that that specific pocket is one of the highest sex trafficking areas of the country. I I mean, that's I mean, Bass Pro Shops is right there. Like I I can't believe it.

And so it is in our backyard, probably in no matter what city you're in. You don't have to be in Memphis.

Rene (23:27) Right. I mean they you people have been commenting about them in Collierville and in Germantown different places too, but

Amy (23:35) I they're everywhere they're everywhere.

Rene (23:36) The

largest amount of them are downtown. Okay. And qu 'cause there are people that provide meals like in different parks downtown or like right on second street. There's you might be the health care from the university from the whole thing. Yeah, the mobile

Amy (23:56) Mobile healthcare.

Yeah. Well, when I've worked the St. Vince of DePaul soup kitchen, I have noticed it's almost always men.

There's an occasional female, And you can tell they come every time it's offered because that's all they're gonna get. And

It's an awesome thing they do at that soup kitchen. And the volunteers and everybody that, you know, puts their heart and soul into it. I've volunteered there at the Medana Circle. I don't know if that's how if you've ever done it through them.

Rene (24:27) Yeah.

Amy (24:28) but a lot of the people who volunteer there regularly know the guests just like you do your guests. Because I listen, I'm gonna shoot your horn for a minute here. I

Rene (24:39) Yeah.

Amy (24:40) know how humble you are, but I mean, people rely on you.

These people rely on you just because of who you are. I have seen you do things. I won't embarrass you, but I've seen you do things out of your own pocket and and ever things for people that no one would ever know about. I've seen it happen or or the guests talk about it and I'm like, that's my girl. She did that. like you have no hesitation to do that. And I think that's with all the volunteers. You wouldn't want to be there with with n out of.

heart for it. I do say that with Room in the Inn, I love the opportunities. There's there's various things people can do. They have the laundry angels, so you can wash the linens. They have the people who make up the beds for the guest as they come with the clean linens. they have the takeaway breakfast, which is one of my favorite things to do because I like to sit with my family and put them together and shop for it all. But it's a little like to go breakfast and snack bag they can take.

You can be the dessert maker, the the tea bringer. There's so many simple ways to help that it's not out of anybody's reach. And I love that about Room in the Inn. I think it's it's been very well done here in Memphis. I can't I can't say for any other area, but it it's really cool to see the sign up genius fills up so fast. I mean, half

Rene (26:05) Yes. my goodness.

Amy (26:07) the time I'm like, I'll sign up to

Well, I don't like to cook, so I typically would want to buy the food. The the guests would probably prefer that too. But you know, it'll be like bring a bring, you know, fifteen bags of goodies for them to take. And it's so simple. Anyone can do that. So there's ways to do it if you don't want to be hands on or on the front lines, or if you're too emotional or get too wrapped up in in the people, which I tend to do, unfortunately.

I guess it just means I have a heart beating in my chest. I don't know. But it it there's so many different roles and I think people need to understand that about Room in the Inn, that there are so many ways to to do it.

Rene (26:51) Well and along with that, I have it written I go through the rules with them every night before we serve dinner and at the top of it I have written our job is not to change them, it's to love them.

Amy (27:08) I love that.

Rene (27:09) Because you're not gonna change in one night. But also when you're talking about the the volunteers, what they'll do for the guests too, but I've had guests leave

several without their own shoes. They'll walk out barefoot because well that pers the that person may have had a pair of shoes on that were like four sizes too big or they had like those Nike shower shoes on in the winter. W they'll the they guessed volunteers have given them their left gave them their coats, sweaters. Just you know, it's just e you know, it's easy to do to really help them e you know.

Amy (27:49) And I like how you mention the rules because you always it's it's well run. It's well run and there are standards that the guests have to abide by. Yeah. And the rules are always read and they're very simple. Like lights out at a certain time. You know, this is how long the shower can be. So everybody has hot water, all those little things. And I mean, I'm not a consistent weekly volunteer like you at all. So I I am always affected by that because they

They abide by those. I you very rarely see them not abide by it. Right. And it and when they don't, it's kind of surprising. They're they're rule followers because they're so grateful for a soft place to land for, you know, a night. Mm-hmm. But some other guests that I've I've noticed is last summer, maybe two summers ago, didn't doing some artwork with the kids. Mm-hmm. And those kids had a blast. And I remember one

Little little guy had the most beautiful eyes I'd ever seen. They were like an olive green. And he I was like, this kid could literally model. I mean, beautiful. But I always wonder where they are, how they're doing, what they're up to. You know, some some might be really talented in art, but they need help to be to foster that and to be able to, you know, harness the the talents that they might have. So it's good to see that Rumanine, I mean, you can give those kids a ball and they are literally

man are from heaven. It's amazing.

Rene (29:18) We have toys there, things for them to play with and that and coloring books and we have bubbles. We do ch sidewalk chalk in the summer. We love it when it's light out when they still get there. But remind me think of when I had a little a little boy drew a picture for his mom and she looked at it and she said, When we get a home, I'm putting this on the wall. Loved it. Yeah.

Amy (29:39) my goodness.

wow. Well, how does room in the inn in your kind of cause we're kind of in like we're we're talking about right now the gratitude of the things we're seeing happen, but how do you think the room in the inn helps the volunteer as much as it helps those we help? I mean, we've kind of touched on it organically already a little bit.

Rene (30:01) Yeah.

Amy (30:03) The the true blessing of sitting with someone who doesn't know your name.

Doesn't we wear a name tag, but they're not my friend. They don't know me. They don't know my circumstances where I live. And that we can sit together and eat spaghetti and a salad and a brownie and just talk about whatever.

Rene (30:24) And sometimes it sounds like it's a family reunion. It's so loud. Everybody talking and

Amy (30:27) Yeah.

But I always notice a common thread of how they they all feel like your family. You specifically. huh. Like you and you're humble. I always have to tell people you're humble because you are. But I mean, you have literally it almost makes me cheer up. Thousands of lives have been touched by you on a yearly basis. Not for I mean, think about it. If you have, let's say you personally work what?

Fifty nights fifty Wednesdays a month, maybe. I mean a year, excuse me. A month. That'd be a weird month. times what fifty? Yeah. So five I mean, the the math on that is enormous just by you. But I love to see them be like, hey, Miss Renee. And they're catching up with you from the previous week or the previous time they saw you and you know the name. my goodness.

Rene (31:20) And people

don't my volunteers, that that's w that's another thing that they just they hug hug those volunteers when they're leaving and say, Are you gonna be here in the morning? And you know, No, I can't be there, they'll say. But I mean it's I mean it's a warm place to be.

Amy (31:37) It is. It's very pleasant. Yeah. and I remember a gentleman, he's he he passed years ago, but he had cancer and was on the streets. Yes. And you know who I'm talking about. Yes. That affected me enormously because that should not happen to happen to have to happen to anyone.

Rene (31:56) Yeah. He'd come to us on a on a day that he had had chemo that day and we have that often. They I d I don't know how they do it, you know. You say, Well, I'm not hungry, you know, I'm really tired and we'll just let him go to sleep. Yeah. He was amazing.

Amy (32:10) And he I know he liked to play cards. And I know the exact table we sat at play cards in the kitchen. Yeah. but those those kind of stories are countless. Uh-huh. The the guy who worked at Denny's and no, I mean, it was very surprising to me as a volunteer to see somebody come in with their work uniform on. I just didn't expect that. So it's again, the whole stereotype is not exactly what people think it is. Mm-hmm.

Rene (32:41) I did get to ask my volunteers about what they g get out of it this week too. And and we all we all feel this so much. They said it puts your own life and your blessings in perspective.

Amy (32:55) Absolutely.

Rene (33:08) that this was gonna be a safe place for her because she knew it was gonna be safer than the streets for sure. Yeah. But and I

They said that there's many nights that I I many nights I wonder who g who got more out of it, the volunteers or the guest. And I always just say the in crowd is the best crowd. Right. I and the in crowd. Yeah. It's the

Amy (33:32) Yeah.

Rene (33:33) best crowd. And I pray every every Wednesday when I'm heading to the cottage to host, that God will just show me what He wants me to see that night. And he he can just knock me over with

the stories and the sharing and the love and and this family's hearts and everything, the kids and sometimes it it's too much for me too. You said you come home and you think about for a week and I it's hard for me to sleep that night and I had to get up at five fifteen in the morning to get back up there to get breakfast and we clean up the cottage for the next church that's gonna be hosting. And I it takes me, you know, Thursdays, I'm kinda out of it.

Amy (34:14) Right, right. But and you do it week after week. Yeah. Your heart is fully in it. And that is also everybody why Renee has the sign up genius fill up so quickly and why so many consistent volunteers come every season. I mean, I'd like to say it's for the guests, but I think a lot of them wanna do it for you because you make it so easy to volunteer and you make it

Such a well oiled machine. Well, and and it starts down, you know, with Lisa. You're right. I mean, executive director. I mean, it's it's all it's all a yeah, a machine that works in mul multiple ways. But I think at OLPH specifically, those volunteers are coming to be part of it with you just as much as is to help the guests. And and I know I

Rene (35:02) Yeah. Well

now that they I mean I know that it's

Amy (35:07) Hard to take a paddle.

Rene (35:08) it's a different kind of experience of dealing with the homeless. That's what it is. You know, they might have had that an idea, like some of those same thoughts, what what you people think about homeless people and then when they're really sitting there across from them at dinner and are helping them get you know, get ready get the things they need out of our storeroom, they're just they can't do enough to help them find what they need and

Amy (35:31) And a really special thing I notice is when we all sit down and you will often say, Would anybody like to say the blessing? gosh. And I have never heard blessings like these people. It I mean, they are thankful for things I wouldn't think to be thankful for, like tiny things that I take for granted. and they're so thankful they often think are thankful for you by name or the volunteers or for the meal.

They're always wanting to like bless everyone else. I've always noticed that in their prayers. And they're just an impromptu, sweet little prayer. Mm-hmm. And nothing fancy, but they're beautiful. And how much of an honor. That's one of my favorite parts. That

Rene (36:13) Me too. Me too.

Amy (36:14) and just sitting down and visiting and being hands-on and you know, and you realize how much more in common you have with others than you think you do.

Rene (36:23) Absolutely.

Amy (36:24) Because in the end it doesn't really matter what you have or don't have.

We're all here on the same path. Mm-hmm. Are there any obstacles or resources that are obstacles that like listeners can help you with material wise, paper towel, shoes, socks, is there are there any things that y'all have trouble procuring that a listener can help with?

Rene (36:53) The hard part is there isn't a lot of storage space there. Even though I mean we host fourteen people a night, but there are five other churches using that same facility. Germantown United Methodist Church lets us use their cottage and they let all denominations use any night that it's available to host there. But that's the problem. I ca I don't I have my if you saw my garage you might think, is that really for where your car is supposed to go? And that's just

It's it's hard to collect those kind of things. But

Amy (37:26) Bus passes?

Rene (37:27) Well, buses are free now. Yeah. For

gosh, at least the last nine months. wow. Maybe the city has determined to the see how that went. I don't know where the funding is coming from, if the city's paying for that. But I mean, so that's what's great. We were we did give bus passes high Yeah. It was

Amy (37:46) Remember you'd hand those out. They were like gold.

Rene (37:49) Yeah. The best two dollars you could spend. We gave that to them every every morning before they left. But 'cause f for them to get to work.

Free to get those kids to school, doctor appointments, you know, it was really good. But right now, bus bus transportation is free.

Amy (38:05) Awesome. Mm-hmm. Yeah, I just know there's gonna be people who listen to this and they're gonna be like, I wanna do something right now. Sign make a donation. Can

Rene (38:11) Yeah, well yes, that'd be

Amy (38:15) they get it started at their church? Hello, everybody, ding ding ding.

Rene (38:18) Please,

please, please. That's that's the problem. Like this summer only fifteen nights were covered. We never we turned pe they turned over twelve hundred people away last year that went came down to the sign up check in place and there weren't enough there's never enough churches to host as many people that need serve.

Amy (38:40) Okay, everybody. Yes, sir.

So wouldn't it be amazing? My heart would burst if we got one more organization, church, any t temple, I mean

Rene (38:57) Yeah, we have the Jewish temple.

Amy (39:01) could

get one person to reach out to me or Renee and say, hey, I want to get this going at at mine. How do I start?

Rene (39:10) Yeah. We will hold your hand the whole way.

Amy (39:13) I have actually chills saying that because it would make the whole podcast worthwhile.

Rene (39:18) yeah.

Amy (39:19) Because I'm not doing this for monetization or anything. I'm not doing I have to pay, I have to pay to publish this people. It's yeah, I don't I don't make money off of this. so wouldn't that be amazing? And and this and my listeners so far are pretty good because a few episodes ago in the friendship episode, I gave them homework to invite one friend

that week to do something. Well, I actually got invited and I'm going to dinner with my friend and her husband tonight with Sean. And so many friends were like, I've invited two to three people to tea or lunch

Rene (39:55) Whatever.

Amy (39:56) or so, listeners, if we could get one more organization. Now if you I don't know about the availability of the cottage, but for reference, if you're not in the immediate vicinity, the cottage is two miles from my house on South Germantown Road.

You could walk to the commissary or Southern Social from the cottage and you probably drive past it all the time and have no idea the amazing things that are happening in the cottage.

Rene (40:22) Yes.

Amy (40:22) And it literally is a little cottage. Like it's like a I think the the Germantown Methodist do their Boy Scouts meet there sometimes.

Rene (40:30) Do that's

why no one can host on Monday nights. But they have they have classes in there, they have AA meetings. It's used a lot during the day, but we can use it at the n and night time.

Amy (40:41) And and I would also say to listeners, and I don't often like say these things to listeners like this, but I will say maybe don't think about it, maybe pray about it. Mm-hmm. And it'll come and you'll know who to talk to. And you can get we can get one more if one more congregation did it at least once a month, if they can take fifteen p people approximately

Rene (41:07) Yeah, they do fourteen because that's how many can fit in bands.

Amy (41:10) So

fourteen guests times once a month, fourteen times twelve, y'all do the math on that. So be the change you wish to see, right?

Rene (41:21) Right.

Amy (41:21) Okay, so that's that's that's big homework.

Rene (41:23) And

also d there's at four nine Ayres where we have the family inn now, they knew it's such th

you know, it's being being so hot this summer and everything. There weren't enough churches able to host. So they opened up a large room that they have. They finished it a year or two ago, which hopefully someday will be a daycare, but they need a lot of funding to make that happen for homeless moms. And they have the city camp during the day there for children in the inn, kids who are staying there at the family inn. They had a summer camp there.

And they also invited children who had been in the family in before to be a part of that. So that's during the day they have that and they opened it up at night. They have put fifteen mattresses on the floor. They have showers there. They have washers and dryers. So someday they'll be doing the clothes for kids that are in the daycare. But for right now, they opened it up to host families because there's so many nights not covered at all. So

They can go to the room in the inn Memphis

website

R I T I Memphis dot org and you can look up volunteer. They'll they have a kitchen there that they are serving meals to like fifty people a day, three times a day, and they took it upon themselves to they they'll provide the dinner. They just need people to show up and coordinate everything when they get there like

with the showers and laundry and and just this way it is all in one room. So I did like that fact. I volunteered a couple of weeks ago and you could you knew where everybody was all the time. Right. Right. Right. That was an advantage, but the guest of course would like a little more private rooms like we have at the cottage. But but they can go to that website and they're desperate for volunteers to keep that going.

Amy (43:28) And I mean there are there are things you can do with your own group. You know, you can also get service hours for all the Catholic schools require service hours. my boys have gotten a lot of service hours doing room in the inn over the years. but you know, and the the different roles that you can do too, like you could get your Boy Scout troop or your Mahjong group. Yeah. Line up everybody the Mahjong group can get dinner. I mean, just everybody pitched ten bucks.

For picking up the commissary, which is right there. I've done that before. Yeah. And then we just bring it right down. So easy. It's it's not a difficult thing to do.

Rene (44:06) We have many families that volunteer with Room in the Inn too. people bring their kids so they can experience this. And we had the McFadden family, Ann and Frank, one year for Christmas, they told their kids all they wanted for Christmas was for their kids to and grandkids to come to Room in the Inn, bring the dinner, everything that was needed that night, and they did it. And they

Amy (44:32) I think that is amazing. And if you know that family because they have four kids, grown kids, and between them there's I don't know, two, four eight grandkids n nine grandkids. Mm-hmm. There's a lot of grandkids. Yeah. There's a big they are a big, amazing family, tight knit, sweet people. And you know that they loved being asked to do that too. Mm-hmm. Like by by them.

Rene (45:00) Does they do like what what do I when my kids say, What do you want for Christmas or or for your birthday? you know. What a wonderful thing to say, you know, let's serve others.

Amy (45:09) I love it. So do they do it around Christmas time?

Rene (45:12) it wasn't Christmas time. No.

Amy (45:13) Okay.

But they just wanted a date planned as like as a gift for later or whatever. Yeah. I love that. And that is a great way to help too. Yes. Is to get the family involved like that. I love

Rene (45:23) That

we love families coming in together, volunteering. It's good.

Amy (45:28) I love it. Do you have a more like common group that would type come in? Like, you know, I mentioned Mahjong groups or even a pickleball group. I mean, do you have any other kind of do you see a trend with certain groups?

Rene (45:42) Well, we have the Boy Scouts every year and Girl Scouts. We had the confirmation class came s last few years and we have teacher groups come in, you know, as if they have time after teaching all day but they're there on Wednesday nights. but yeah, we ha I mean, any kind of groups, like you said, the mahjong or tennis groups, whatever.

Amy (46:08) Love it. Well, everybody get your get your get your thinking caps on, get your groups, get your families, and be inspired by the McFaddens. Well done, McFaddens. You made the podcast.

Rene (46:19) Uh-huh.

Amy (46:20) Now, there are things that I have gotten, like I you do not want me as a laundry angel. You do not want me as a laundry angel and you don't want me to cook. Now I can bake. I have baked and I have bought food, but there's certain roles, like I'm really a person who just needs to be on the front lines, put me in front of the guests, and I'll talk to them. where my husband

Me. Well, I will talk to anybody, but there but there are other roles too. Like my my husband kind of prefers to be more on like the custodial end of cleaning up things and moving things around or making the bed. So everybody has a different role, but it is a really easy way. And all the website information will be in the in the description of this. So good. You guys who are driving around listening don't have to worry about rem remembering it.

Rene (47:09) But you could they you know, and if they can't volunteer, they can like you said, we'll put the website there. They can donate to Roomin't the In Memphis dot org. That's also on that website. And just to keep it going, you know, and and we they have grown so much with the family in and they have recuperative care patients that they have there also. They I I have some numbers of like congregational shelter like last year.

We ho they had seven hundred and forty guests and a hundred and eighty seven of those were children. They at the family in downtown, they can host fourteen families upstairs and they have fourteen recuperative care guests downstairs who are people who are released from the hospital with nowhere to go. And you probably have seen before people come in, they've got armbands on them.

Amy (48:00) Yeah.

Rene (48:00) They're I can't believe I mean it it's hard for us to imagine, but it's so true.

They family did not want to take them in after they got out of the hospital or working things out. But that just to keep that going and, you know, someday have enough funds that we can have a daycare there for the homeless women or women who are s trying to find another place.

Amy (48:23) And important

to the guests and I mean to the listeners to know that is it is an interfaith ministry. It is not one religion. I don't know what it's all comprised of or what there's a the bulk of w who it is, you know, w di different denominations. But I think that is a really important thing because it's a little it's a big way to look at unity. We're all coming together, all different religions for the greater good. Mm-hmm. And

Nobody who works room in the inn wants anything in return. Because everything that you're getting in return when you work or volunteer where it is the satisfaction of that person is not on the street tonight. Being eaten alive by mosquitoes. Right. So Renee, here's a question I have for you is is what should a listener do when they see someone on the streets who's homeless? Who's, you know, at Poplar and Ridgeway or at down to Overton? There they're

They're everywhere nowadays. There are all there are lot of them. What do you do? Do you roll down the window? Do you give a little pack of food? I know p some people make those. Do you give them money? Do you smile? Do you pray with them? What do you do? What's what what what do I do? I never know what to do.

Rene (49:38) I think, you know, everyone well, whatever they you feel comfortable with, what you feel called to do right at that moment. But if you see them on the streets, it's, you know, smile at them, say hi. They're so used to people not making eye contact with them all day. And what w j be respectful and just don't give your phone number. Unless

Amy (50:01) Right. Don't give me your phone number, okay?

Rene (50:03) you want to hear from them every day the rest of your life.

Amy (50:05) Okay.

Do you speak from experience?

Rene (50:07) yes I do. Okay. Yes I do. Okay. Well lesson learned.

Amy (50:11) noted.

because I remember it it's it's been a while, but I remember driving at like Poplar and Parkway near Overton Square. And I'm driving from downtown and I knew four women who were just sitting there at the grass with all their stuff. They had met me at Room in the Inn maybe in a month prior. Mm-hmm. And they were

Four hams. They were hilarious. They were all friends. You could tell they all stuck together. They are always together. And we're I remember coming, we're we're on Poplar because we were coming that way. I remember the exact church lawn they were in. and

Rene (50:54) Yeah yeah.

Amy (50:55) I thought I know them. Uh-huh. Wow. What are the odds of seeing them? And they I was like, hey, y'all, and they're waving at me.

And I mean, I don't know if they knew who I was. I I wasn't like, Hey, yo, it's Amy from like three Wednesdays ago or anything. But it was such a profound moment for me to see them and they were very happy people, like entertaining me that night. And then there they are sitting there on the street. It broke my heart.

Rene (51:21) And you know, they all feel safer w being together. They they don't like walking down the streets by themselves, a lot of them. And and like you said, there was four. I thought that's wonderful. But I can see the relationships that they have at Room in the Inn, like they're they're close. They need wonder if they're even family or something, but they're 'cause they know everything about each other. But no, they they are a team together on the street to protect each other and live to the next day.

Amy (51:49) Guess if that's all you have, you are that is your family.

Rene (51:53) Absolutely.

Amy (51:54) Absolutely. we're gonna put all the website information on on on ever on all the details. I don't know if you want to say it verbally now or not. Your any website and any I know you did the room in the end one. Are there any more websites or should we just put all that?

Rene (52:11) Yeah, I mean it's all room R I T I Memphis dot org and there's y you can do slash give. You can just go to the main site and it will show you everything that is available for you. And I mean, they can call me too if they have questions about room in the end, because I know, you know, you're y people can be fearful about it, just not not knowing what to expect. And I'm you know, they don't have to sign up for

four hour commitment, three hour commitment, whatever. They want to just come see what is Room in the End. Right. There's many churches that will let them come if it's Wednesday nights aren't good for them. And there are other churches besides the cottage that host other churches in their building. So

Amy (52:56) Okay.

Rene (52:57) we we if if you don't know where to host it, we'll find a place for you. And there are two buses, Room in the end has that can help with transportation if they're not already taken that night.

We we use them every Wednesday, which is such a blessing that they have those buses for us. Right. We used to have I used to have three driver

Amy (53:16) Right.

I remember because that's the hard one to get to the drivers. and I do say Renee might not want me to say this, but I do say that if you are interested, if you are someone who's like, Yeah, I'm gonna do something with this, I think Renee could if she came to talk to your organization, everybody in that meeting that listens to her is gonna be like, We're in. We are we are in, pardon the pun. We are in for the in crowd. Yeah. Because Renee is really good at speaking to groups about this.

That's how she got so many of us involved. And all these years later, all these ladies are still doing it. So for some reason, part of it's definitely Renee and who she is. But another part is the value of this ministry. How can we pray for this ministry?

Rene (54:03) I just well I would say, you know, pray for the ministry that it continues to grow and help more people.

Amy (54:11) Did you hear that everybody? Continue to grow. And earlier didn't I say, Don't think about it, pray about it. And we did not plan this part, but it's true.

Rene (54:20) Mm.

You know, pray for affordable housing s for our guests, their safety, and that those kids have an opportunity for a good education and to become responsible adults. So we've had up to three generations one night. I had a grand I what's happened more than once, a grandma, her daughter, the children. It's crazy. Which but

And you'd be surprised how many are living in abandoned buildings. If you if you when I hear those stories, I just get on the phone to try to find more people to volunteer. Hey guys, this is really crazy. You do not and then and they'll tell me, you would be surprised how many people are in those buildings. I'm like, Yes, I would.

Amy (55:06) Wow. Yeah. Wow. Abandoned building versus room in the inn. Ooh. Again, listeners, I'm I'm looking at you. Well, Renee, I end my I end my podcast. I always say I end, but it go they go about ten minutes as a rapid fire. And I like my guests I like my listeners to get to know my guests. And so what's your favorite way to relax? Not that you do much of that because you're always doing everything for everybody else.

And that's why I asked that.

Rene (55:39) travel. I love to travel.

Amy (55:42) Okay. What's the best advice you've received?

Rene (55:50) Room in the end is probably like like what I said, don't change them, just love them. You have to be reminded.

Amy (55:58) I actually had on my list a myth about homelessness to debunk, but I think we've kind of done some of that.

Rene (56:03) Yeah.

Amy (56:03) If you have anything to add to it though, feel free.

Yeah. Hum just I think we've gotten that one. do you have a favorite Bible verse?

Rene (56:15) Well, I could do the Matthew one about a f for I was hungry and you gave me something to eat, I was thirsty and you gave me something to drink. I was a stranger and you invited me in.

Amy (56:30) And isn't that awesome? This is why people want to do stuff with Brenee and help things that she does because she did not know my guests do not know rapid fire questions, but here she is. how many grandchildren do you have?

Rene (56:41) I have twelve wonderful grandchildren.

Amy (56:44) twelve and three daughters, right?

Rene (56:46) Yes, uh-huh.

Amy (56:48) Do you know this is a yes or no question. Okay. Do you know that you are a mentor to women like me? Good, good.

Rene (56:54) I have been told. Okay. Good.

What a blessing that is for me. I mean, I just I love it.

Amy (57:01) what's your favorite thing to do at the lake? I know you like the lake. What's your favorite thing to do there?

Rene (57:06) Just be be on a boat. We d I don't have a place at the lake, but I have friends that do and they just be on the boat and feel the wind against your face and fresh air. Love it.

Amy (57:17) Okay. And one word to describe room in the inn.

Rene (57:22) Hmm. Sanctuary?

Amy (57:24) Sanctuary. And if y'all remember a little bit ago, Father Charles Strobel said, and we talked about how he said sanctuary is defined by people, not the space. So she didn't know I was going to ask that question either.

Rene (57:40) Yeah.

Amy (57:42) So, Renee, we're so honored that maybe you've been a good introduction to people who have not served in this ministry before. Maybe just

Podcast will be the conduit to get somebody to bring their congregation in. You make it really easy for them to do that. And if, you know, people get lazy and they're like, I need to text about that later to or look up that website. If y'all are lazy and you're like, I don't want to do that, but I'm gonna reach out to Amy, I will get but y'all, I will get you to who you need to talk to. I have Renee's phone number. So and I have Lisa Anderson's information too. So

Everybody, you can reach out to me if you have a ministry that you want to talk about or anything else at amiki's podcast at gmail.com. That is amiki's podcast at gmail.com. We are on Spotify, iHeartRadio, Amazon Music, Apple Music, Audible, and now YouTube. And I guess my takeaway from this podcast is pray for our homeless. Step outside your comfort zone because.

You will you will be rewarded. The the the giver in that definitely takes away a lot. Be a helper and stop t stereotyping. Mm-hmm. Don't don't just assume about our fellow men and women women who are out there. And let's especially let's especially get some prayers up for these children in the schools who don't have a home because they they shouldn't have to live like that.

Renee, you are a blessing and a gift. And I know all the angels in heaven look down and are so blessed that you're helping. And you you live the truth of that verse you read. So

Rene (59:35) Thank you.

Amy (59:36) we love you and we appreciate you being here.

Rene (59:38) Thank you. Thanks for having me.

Amy (59:39) Thanks. And y'all go do your homework and somebody get a congregation on board. Yeah,

Rene (59:44) I see you at Room in the Inn.

Amy (59:45) me too. Till next time.