Homelessfor the Holidays
Winter's Coldest Nights
Columbia, Missouri -- When asked about sleeping outside in the middle of winter, Kevin had one word to describe his experience: “Cold."
Though the 24-year old was recently approved for social security, he says he was homeless for six years and often had trouble staying warm during the winter months. Often, resources were already being utilized to capacity and he had nowhere to go. “My position and where I used to be was being in the streets with no income, but I couldn’t get inside because every place was full.”
Unfortunately, Kevin’s story is similar to many in the area. According to a 2013 University of Missouri-St. Louis study, there are over 10,000 homeless individuals in Missouri. Though the issue of homelessness is important and prevalent year round, sub-zero temperatures during the winter months make the issue of nighttime shelter life or death.
For Kevin, a childhood of foster care and serious health issues were both reasons behind his years in the homeless community. “I’m not even supposed to be alive, but I am.”
Besides dangerously low temperatures, the homeless community deals with another hardship: being homeless during the holiday season. At a time where the average American is hunting for the perfect Christmas tree, some are hunting for a safe place to sleep at night. According to Yvonne Chamberlain, Coordinator of Room at the Inn shelter, Columbia’s homeless community is no exception.
“There are so many homeless individuals in our community who can’t seek shelter anywhere else,” Chamberlain said. “Maybe they don’t meet the criteria of the other shelters in town, or maybe those other shelters are at capacity.”
By: Samantha Stokes
Area churches open their doors to provide a warm place to sleep for Columbia's homeless population.
"We're all about saving lives where we can."
This is where Room at the Inn comes in. Since its conception in 2007, Room at the Inn has provided overnight shelter in Columbia during winter’s coldest months, December through March. Though no permanent site exists, many area churches have opened their doors to give this operation a location. During the 2015-2016 season, five churches meeting the capacity requirements for 50-plus people a night have volunteered their spaces: Fairview United Methodist Church, Broadway Christian Church, Missouri United Methodist Church, First Presbyterian Church, and First Baptist Church.
People using the shelter are greeted at the door by volunteers and have the access to games, movies, and light snacks. Throughout the night, overnight volunteers give people a safe place to sleep, rest, and relax. In the morning, a continental breakfast is provided.
“Room at the Inn is actually kind of a good thing around Columbia,” Kevin said.
Chamberlain says that her favorite part of her job is seeing former residents move to a better place and no longer rely on the shelter and similar resources. However, she also enjoys the many opportunities to build relationships with people. “I look forward to seeing familiar faces and knowing that even if their situation hasn’t improved, they can still come back to us for support.”
Chamberlain hopes that other members of the community will be inspired to volunteer with Room at the Inn this holiday season, and highlighted a need for overnight volunteers. For night owls like herself, Chamberlain recommends the night shift—which is where she started her volunteerism at Room at the Inn. As a graduate student at Stephen’s College, Chamberlain studied through the night and used vacation days at work to rest up for the next evening.
“I actually enjoy the overnight shifts because it’s quiet, the guests have already gone to bed, and it gives me time to study and catch up on reading and hobbies. These are all opportunities that overnight volunteers can utilize.”
At the end of the day, though, it’s the chance to impact lives and make peoples’ holiday seasons a little brighter that makes it worthwhile for Chamberlain.
“What it boils down to is that they’re human beings. Just like you and I, they want to spend time with their family. If they can’t, they’re not happy. Sometimes they don’t want to celebrate the holidays because it reminds them of what they don’t have. It’s not just a home they don’t have, but that they don’t have someone to turn to. But at the same time, I think they’re also very appreciative of the fact that there are people willing to give up their time to spend it with them during a time that most people spend with their families and friends.”