Community Update

Dear Friends of Room In The Inn,

We hope you had a wonderful Thanksgiving. OBX Room In The Inn is now in its 16th season of providing food, shelter, and clothing to our neighbors in need, and we are deeply grateful for your continued support.

This November alone, we provided 198 room nights, served 601 meals, and supported guests with an average age of 58. These numbers reflect both the growing need in our community and the compassion of those who rally to help. A heartfelt thank you goes out to Mt. Olivet United Methodist Church, Cape Hatteras Baptist Church, Grace Lutheran Church, John Head, Gail Hutchison, Cathy Turner, Chris Kelley Cimko, Pathways to Life, Outer Banks Hospital, Lynn Sherman, Angie Eaton, Brannon Godfrey, Randy Jones, and Pigman’s BBQ for the food, supplies, and generosity they shared throughout November.

Our Thanksgiving meal was beautifully prepared by Wes Stepp, Red Sky, and NC Coast and was truly a blessing. We are also grateful to the many groups and businesses that dropped off food over the past month.

To everyone who supported our Lunch To Go Fall Fundraiser on November 16th: Thank you. This event was made possible through the generosity of Kelly’s Catering, along with Sysco, US Foods, and Performance Food Group. Nearly 500 meals were served thanks to the hard work of the Outer Banks Women’s Club, our friend Don, our Board Members, and the entire RITI team. We are deeply appreciative of every hand that helped.

Every story of homelessness is a story not only of hardship, but of perseverance, resilience, and hope. Today, more than 250,000 people nationwide experience unsheltered homelessness—living outdoors or in places not meant for human habitation. And while studies show that nearly 90% of those experiencing homelessness would move into housing if it were available, individuals fall into homelessness faster than resources can keep up.

This is why Room In The Inn is working tirelessly toward a critical goal: becoming a year-round shelter.

We believe our community deserves consistent, reliable support for our most vulnerable neighbors, not only during the winter months but throughout the entire year. Reaching this goal will require partnership, dedication, and the collective strength of our community—and we truly need your help to make it possible.

As we move into the holiday season, we ask you to consider making a donation to support our mission and to help us take the next steps toward year-round operations. If you, your business, or your church are interested in partnering with us, please visit www.obxroomintheinn.org, reply to this email, or call 252-255-1133. We would love to have you join us in this life-changing work.

Thank you to everyone who continues to support Room In The Inn. Your compassion makes this work possible. It truly takes a village.

Wishing you a very Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year.

To whom much is given, much is required,

Shari