Room at the Inn’s E-Newsletter

Room volunteers among Catholic Women’s Award recipients

Monday, August 10, 2015

On Saturday, Aug. 2, several St. Louis women were awarded the Catholic Women’s Award. The honor is given annually to one woman from each parish in the Archdiocese of St. Louis, who is nominated by the pastor or parish council.

This year’s award theme was “comforter/nurturer,” and many of the recipients have connections to Room at the Inn, which has been blessed with their time, kindness and support.

Room at the Inn would like to congratulate the following volunteers for their well-deserved recognition:

– Rose Vierdag: long-time Sisters of Divine Providence Associate, who volunteers every year at the Breakfast with the INN Crowd fundraiser. Vierdag also formerly volunteered at the day site shelter. She belongs to the Sacred Heart Catholic Church parish in Florissant.

– Carole Hailip: Night Site coordinator for Immaculate Conception Church in Maplewood.
 
– Jean Kleypas: long-time Room at the Inn supporter. Kleypas belongs to Our Lady of Guadalupe in Ferguson, a former Night Site for Room at the Inn.
 
Congratulations to all of these wonderful women and the work they do to make St. Louis a better place. Thank you for sharing your kindness and efforts with the clients of Room at the Inn.

Click here to read the full story from The St. Louis Review and see the other winners.

Webster Groves Christian Holds Book Fair for Children

Monday, August 10, 2015

Webster Groves Christian Church, a long-time Night Site and supporter of Room at the Inn, will be hosting a Scholastic Book Fair from 5 p.m. to 8 p.m. Monday, August 10, thru the weekend.  The book fair will be held in conjunction with an art show featuring the work of Richard Bernal, a well-known children’s book illustrator.

(Click on this link for more information)

WGCC is located at 1320 W. Lockwood Ave. in Webster Groves.

WGCC will be encouraging customers and participants to donate toward the purchase of books and credits for books for kids in the area who don’t have easy access to resources, including Room at the Inn’s homeless client children.
WGCC Reverend Dr. Jeff Moore said his congregation decided to host this event because many children in the St. Louis area do not have the opportunity to purchase new books.

“Reading is such an important way to learn, grow, and build relationships of trust, and we are hopeful that our efforts will help to place new books and opportunities for reading into the lives of children and their families,” Rev. Moore said. “Room at the Inn families, like so many families in the St. Louis area, are facing many challenges, and we hope that this might be one way we can partner with them to strengthen the learning and development of their children.  We’re hopeful that Room Night Site congregations will come to the book fair and purchase books to use and share in their Night Site programs, as well.”

The event will include Scholastic Books for grades K-8.  Each evening will include opportunities for interaction, reading, and fun. In addition to hosting illustrator Richard Bernal on Wednesday evening, WGCC will be offering – throughout the week – crafts, activities, reading times, and story discussions.

“Please encourage friends and neighbors to attend,” Rev. Moore said. “All proceeds we receive from purchases and donations will go toward new books for children in St. Louis – especially Room at the Inn families or night sites.”

Room at the Inn would like to thank Rev. Moore and the staff and volunteers of Webster Groves Christian Church for putting together this wonderful event. Thank you for helping us give the homeless children of St. Louis a future and a purpose.