Last year, our Administrative Council decided to honor the life and legacy of a great Nashvillian and humble follower of Jesus, Charlie Strobel, founder of Room in the Inn. The opportunity had presented itself to purchase a historic street sign on Seventh Avenue in Germantown - the street and neighborhood where Charlie Strobel grew up and where, just a few blocks toward Broadway, Vine Street Christian Church used to be located (the name was was changed in 1904 from Vine Street to Seventh Avenue). Production and installation of the sign have now been completed, and if you check out the intersection at Seventh and Madison, you can see it and the commemorative brick in person!
In addition to this memorial on a street corner, our leadership voted to make a donation of $2,500 to the Charlie Strobel Memorial Fund at Room in the Inn. This fund supports the expasion of supportive housing units at Room in the Inn’s Drexel Street Campus for Human Development from 38 to 48. “The lack of affordable housing in Nashville is a challenge for many Middle Tennessee residents, but for those with complicated backgrounds and limited income, the options are even more scarce. In 2010, we opened our current facility which included 38 single occupancy apartments specifically designed for individuals who are chronically homeless and have limited options based on their complicated history and other barriers. Through out permanent supportive housing program, residents receive ongoing support services while remaining in stable housing. In 13 years, we have had no evictions.” Room in the Inn, Annual Report 2022-2023
Thank you for your gifts that have made this dual memorial possible, and thank you for your continuing support of our Room in the Inn ministry during the winter months, when every night becomes a living memorial to the vision and leadership of this humble saint.