Once a month, the Union University Department of Social Work partners with Room In The Inn, a program running off of volunteers that helps to house and feed homeless men 365 days a year in Jackson, Tennessee —where, currently, no homeless shelter exists for men.
Room In the Inn partners with Area Relief Ministries, who provide sleeping materials, and local churches, who provide a meal and their facilities throughout the night for homeless men in Jackson. Union helps by housing the men in the Fesmire Fieldhouse one Wednesday a month, with student volunteers who prepare, serve and then share a meal.
After having to pause volunteering throughout 2021 due to COVID-19 precautions, Union has been able to participate again this semester.
Many of the student volunteers have come from the social work department or through word of mouth passed through different classes and organizations. Greek organizations on campus are also a large portion of the volunteers in the program. Lambda Chi Alpha sends many of the men volunteers, and Chi Omega and Kappa Delta have helped prepare and provide meals.
Coordinator Mackenzie Pilgrim, a senior social work major, is passionate about Room In the Inn, specifically the relationships that are forged between the men and Union students. She explained that in college, it can be easy to forget that people experience difficult circumstances such as homelessness. “But they do,” Pilgrim said, “and they’re right in our backyard, just like five minutes down the road. It opens students’ eyes.”
Pilgrim also noted that this shared experience helps to break many stereotypes that come with homelessness.
“It was a unique experience to get to spend a little time with these men and get to hear part of their stories that they don’t often get to share. It was a good reminder that things like providing food for a group of men and just having a conversation with them are pleasing to God,” sophomore Carleigh Smith said.
This semester, Pilgrim has been the only student in leadership to take on the load of planning for Room In the Inn each month. Finding volunteers has been the most difficult part.
“There are a lot of behind-the-scenes that nobody knows. A long list of approvals have to go through before we are even able to invite the guests on campus,” Pilgrim said. She hopes that “as more people are aware of it, they will also fall in love with the ministry, and with the sweet men who get to come and hang out with us, and the mutual blessing that it is.”
Union was set to volunteer for the last time during the spring semester on April 13; however, it had to be cancelled due to bad weather. Pilgrim is hopeful for Room In The Inn in future semesters, though.
“I have a lot of high hopes for the future,” Pilgrim said. “It is a big blessing to have the men back with us. They are excited, and we are too.”
