THE “INN CROWD” IS THE BEST!
This was the simple mealtime prayer I learned as a child. Straightforward gratitude.
If there’s a lesson we’re taking with us as we journey to the end of summer, this is it!
Our annual CITI (Children in the Inn) Camp celebrated another summer filled with learning and laughter. The day camp took place throughout June and July for current and previous RITI guests ages 6-12.
This summer 21 campers were led by a wonderful team of counselors and volunteers. Together, they worked through an intern-built curriculum on “Building Virtue” with each week focused on a particular theme like kindness, forgiveness, honesty, courage, grit & grind, self-confidence, and stewardship.
Volunteers and community partners provided opportunities for yoga, visits from therapy dogs, education and literacy, puppet shows, games, field trips, and an end of summer pool party! Some partnerships also provided opportunities for deeper levels of staff training and additional interns and volunteers.
CITI Camp is truly a community effort, and we’re so grateful for all the ways Memphis comes together to make it happen. This was our biggest year yet, and we’re already making plans for next year!
THANK YOU
CITI Camp Staff & Interns: Callen Smith, Jabarey Luster, Malcolm Oliver, Que Brooks, Anika Smith, Renekia Smith, Azia Hill, Catherine Ross
CITI CAMP Regular Volunteers: Nailah Jones, Krystal Donald, Tangela Blanks, Jerlin White, Maliyah Jackson, Silvia Yak, Madison Bradford, Eddie Robinson, Saniyah Fleming, Leslie Oattis, Laurie Kay, DeAsia Freeman, Bitsy Kasselberg, Juana McCoy, Neev Bhandare
CITI CAMP Funders:
Samaritan Biologics
Grace St. Luke’s Episcopal Church
CITI CAMP Community Partners:
Memphis Shelby County Schools for volunteer teachers that came every morning
Literacy Mid-South for volunteers and literacy resources
Street Reach and Memphis Youth Mission for volunteer groups
St. Columba Memphis for a week of MUD Camp for our campers
Dixon Gallery and Gardens for art lessons and a field trip
Memphis Rox, Stax Museum, Memphis Kids in Nature, Metal Museum for field trips
Les Passees for puppet shows
Memphis Child Advocacy Center for counselor training on abuse prevention
Safe and Secure TN for counselor trauma informed behavior management training
Christian Brothers University, Rhodes College, and MPLOY for interns
Did we mention it takes a village?
Thank you, Memphis!
RITI EMERGENCY RESPONSE
CITI Camp isn’t the only way we’ve seen the Inn Crowd come together this summer. At the end of June we put out the call far and wide for volunteers to respond to an emergency need.
There are more children experiencing homelessness in Memphis than there are shelter spaces to keep their families safe.
This summer, 20 of our host congregations are providing shelter in their own buildings to help meet the need. With heat indexes in the 90s and on some days over 100 degrees, we were challenged to stretch our resources to do even more, and we asked for your help.
Volunteers, many hearing of Room in the Inn for the first time, answered the call. With your help 330 beds, including 177 for children who would have otherwise been without safe shelter, were shared with holy hospitality at Room in the Inn’s emergency response space throughout the month of July!
We’re continuing this extended emergency response into August to cover weeknights we have no other shelter host. 148 volunteers answered the call in July.