Room at the Inn

The Room at the Inn, a non-sustaining shelter in the St. Louis area, offers short-term assistance to people who need help during difficult transitional periods in their lives, be it from the loss of a job, a house fire, foreclosure, or other economical issues.  It is an organization truly dedicated to serving a need in our community.  They very humbly try to help clients turn their lives around and find success again.  Above are photos from their day site featuring some of the most powerful aspects of the shelter that were the most surprising and moving:

The broken sunglasses next to the old, tattered chair.
The baby's crib in the corner of a cramped room.
The colorful children's play room, kept very neat.
The rows of clothing with a handwritten sign that reads, "INTERVIEW CLOTHING -See Mary"
The peeling window sticker that reads, "Everyday is a gift."

   It's very clear that the workers are very devoted to their work.  They try to help the maximum amount of people they can with the resources available to them.  Today they told of women who have given birth to new babies while in their program.  It is incredibly difficult to imagine the pain and hopelessness a new mother might feel bringing her child back to a shelter in a reused car seat.  Our community is fortunate to have an organization such as this to help end that pain and to give hope to the people who are looking for it.  It is a reminder that every day truly is a gift, and that we should be grateful for every opportunity we have each and every day.