Room In The Inn-Memphis to open childcare center this summer
By Andy Greenman
Bishop J.O. Patterson, Sr. Edmund Orgill. Charles B. Brakefield. These prominent Memphis names, along with others, were emblazoned on a plaque inside the Collins Chapel Goodwill Building. Built in 1975, the Goodwill Building was a hospital serving only African American patients, served by doctors of the same race. Soon, these names will be honored again at the Room In The Inn-Memphis (RITI) childcare center.
The groundwork for RITI-Memphis began in 2009, long after the Goodwill Building shuttered. Colonial Cumberland Presbyterian Church, where the Rev. Lisa Anderson served as a “very, very part-time pastor,” dreamed of big solutions to homelessness. They did not have a lot of resources, but they had a big building.
The congregation opened the doors for the unhoused to receive temporary relief from the elements. Other churches chipped in with food for the visitors and provided volunteers. After three years of providing this service, Anderson formed RITI-Memphis.
Located at 409 Ayers Street, RITI-Memphis is an emergency shelter. The lower level provides 14 rooms for those who have been in the hospital and need a place to recover, instead of being back on the street. Guests are treated to three meals a day, and the staff coordinates care with medical providers. According to the 2023 Annual Report, 70 guests benefited from this space with 2,620 total nights stayed.
On the second floor, 14 additional rooms are set up for families. Each room provides a private bathroom, and guests can stay 30-45 days while working on obtaining housing. Families receive meals and care as they work toward long-term goals. In 2023, 275 children received care, and 39 families found homes. While these families are grateful, the rooms can get a little tight. RITI-Memphis began to brainstorm ideas to expand their services.
“The barrier is childcare,” Anderson explains. “We can find jobs and we can find housing a lot of times. But without childcare, neither one of those things can happen.” Anderson’s dream is now coming true in the former Collins Chapel Goodwill Building.
This summer, RITI-Memphis is gearing up to open its new childcare center. The adjoining space will provide care for infants to preschoolers. Private rooms will allow school-aged children an area for homework and projects. Partnerships with Rhodes College and Memphis Shelby County Schools provide added educational support.
The former Goodwill Building has already received a major renovation at the cost of $2.1 million provided by the City of Memphis and Shelby County Community Redevelopment Agency (CRA). This aligns with the CRA’s mission of providing affordable housing while encouraging reinvestment. CRA President Andrew Murray is excited to see this once bustling space back in action.
``One of our two core missions at the CRA is the creation of affordable housing, ultimately leading to the building of generational wealth,” Murray expressed. “Room In The Inn comes alongside our most vulnerable neighbors and helps them start this journey.”
As the center moves closer to opening, it received a generous gift from Calvary Episcopal Church. Its childcare center recently closed so they were able to donate cribs, furniture, desks, toys, and more. This organization joins a long list of those who are committed to RITI-Memphis’ success including The Assisi Foundation and Thomas W. Briggs Foundation. For those willing to provide support, donations can be sent online at ritimemphis.org. Others looking to clean, meal prep, or greet visitors are encouraged to apply for a volunteer position.
Anderson is proud of giving so many shelter, but she sees an even larger picture. “What really changes things is that we are connecting people who want to make a difference in a safe way, in a tangible way.”