VOLUNTEER
Get Involved
Summer Fix-It Team
If you keep your toolbox handy, the Summer Fix-It Team is calling you! RITI is building a team of skilled volunteers able to help with small repairs throughout the summer including interior painting, furniture assembly, and an assortment of minor repairs. If this sounds like the job for you, email volunteers@ritimemphis.org to help with this “labor” of love.
Hospitality Volunteer for Congregational Shelter Pick-up
Persons volunteering for this position would be asked to arrive at our downtown pick-up location (First Presbyterian Church) at 4pm, receive assignments from staff and then assist with tasks listed above. The position requires a consistent commitment of at least 1 afternoon each week (4-6pm) and ideally would be the same day of the week so that staff and guests would feel that sense of consistency. This also allows the volunteer to develop as part of the team for that night. This is a very rewarding commitment for a very short time each volunteer shift. To sign-up or learn more email volunteers@ritimemphis.org
While I have learned a lot about the behind the scenes work that goes into preparing for the Congregational Shelter Program, above all I’ve learned how to connect with the community. I have been able to grow as an intern at RITI and have learned to better connect with people by doing things as simple as remembering their names. An experience that will always stick with me was the night I was able to help translate for a Spanish-speaking family, I was able to listen to the parent’s story and all they went through to get to RITI. I realized afterwards that all the people who come through the shelter, whether it is regularly or only one night, have a story to be listened to which is an important part of RITI’s dedication to hospitality.
Adopt-a-Room
Do you have a talent for decorating? Do you enjoy creating lovely spaces for others? If you answered yes, we would like to invite you to join one of our newest volunteer groups. We are looking for individuals or groups interested in helping us spruce up the guest rooms with welcoming touches and simple decorations. These rooms provide a safe place to rest, relax and work toward the future – a private space to relax while still being part of a community. RITI’s campus is a temporary home for many men, women, and children. As guests move on to their new homes, Adopt-a-Room Crews will be ready to freshen the spaces and prepare them for new guests. Email volunteers@ritimemphis.org to apply or if you have any questions. Bring your HGTV dreams to life as part of an Adopt-a-Room Crew!
Beautification Team
Do you enjoy spending time outside planting, weeding, and watering? Have you ever wanted to build raised beds or garden boxes? Do you have garden tools taking up space? Do you have clippings and plantings looking for a new home? Join the RITI Beautification Team! We are looking for individuals or groups that would like to help us add beauty and maintain flower beds and garden boxes around our campus. We have several outdoor spaces that need love and attention. We would love to have help creating several lovely, easy to maintain outdoor spaces. Email volunteers@ritimemphis.org to apply or if you have any questions. Come play in the dirt and be a part of our Beautification Team!
The reason I volunteer at Room In the Inn is to make a difference in my community. Memphis as a city and as a community needs as much help as possible. Me providing my time and effort at Room in the Inn is to help change peoples lives for the better… Another thing I would like to finish before I leave is adding plants and flowers to the back of the building. I want to add more color and make the guest entrance feel like a home.
Playground Pals
Feeling creative and want to update and create new outdoor spaces for the youngest RITI guests? No experience necessary, just a little creativity and love for up-cycling. We are gathering a lot of recycled items with plans to create multi-sensory activity boards that hang from the fence. Needed donations include: aluminum pots and pans, spoons, big bells, wind chimes, metal tubing, pool noodles, bird houses, wind chimes, PVC pipes, wooden dowels, deep (5gal) buckets, plants that thrive in full sun, small toddler plastic pools, and assorted pieces of wood of varying sizes. Email volunteers@ritimemphis.org if you have any questions or want to become a Playground Pal by donating supplies or helping build the sensory panels.
The opportunity for our group to be able to be creative with their projects and make such a difference in the space for the guests was awesome! We enjoyed working on the projects and also visiting and playing basketball with the guests that came out to see what we were doing.
Our relationship with RITI began in December of 2019 when Kylie’s Girl Scout Troop first volunteered with the Congregational Shelter at Emmanuel United Methodist Church…
As a parent, it is important for me to demonstrate the importance of service to and caring for others so that she understands her role and responsibility as a global citizen. I easily see myself and my daughter in the guests. Serving the guests with dignity and compassion benefits us as much we hope it benefits the guests.
This is why I continue to serve at least once weekly when Kylie’s away, and she looks forward to joining me when she’s home. We both enjoy the service, the staff and extending holy hospitality to RITI guests and hope to continue serving in the years to come.
More Ways to Serve
Become a host
Learn how your faith community can start your own Room in the Inn program and provide life-saving shelter.
amazon wish list
Give through our Amazon Wishlist or host a drive for some of these frequently needed items for our guests and campus.
donate
Room in the Inn-Memphis is registered with the IRS as a 501 (c) (3) not-for-profit organization, and all your donations are tax deductible to the extent allowed by law.