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As 2024 comes to an end and 2025 begins, Chattanooga Room in the Inn Executive Director, Taylor Hixson, reflects on a year of outpouring support for our mission and extends wholehearted gratitude for every dedicated supporter.
"The holiday season is always a magical time at CRITI, and I feel incredibly fortunate to witness the true essence of the holidays: the spirit of giving. It's inspiring to see individuals, businesses, church partners, and civic groups come together to make the season special for all our residents, from the youngest to the oldest. Whether providing holiday meals, gifts, a monetary donation, or volunteering time to create a memorable holiday party, your contributions make a profound impact.
While we rely on our supporters throughout the year, the love and generosity shown during the holidays are especially uplifting and heartwarming. Words like "thank you" feel inadequate to express my deep gratitude for your kindness. Your support fuels our efforts as we continue to work toward fulfilling our mission.
As we look ahead to the new year, I hope we can carry this spirit of kindness and gratitude forward, building a brighter and more compassionate community together."
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Chattanooga Room in the Inn Spotlighted in The Lookout Mountain Mirror
In December's issue of The Lookout Mountain Mirror, you will find a well-written article by our very own admin volunteer, Robin Howe, who has spent time getting to know CRITI intimately in the past few years. In this article, with the guidance of our staff, Robin explains some of the inner workings of our organization and the impact our programs have on women and children experiencing homelessness. She outlines one of our biggest prides, which is that every resident is treated with respect and dignity. Thank you for the lovely article, Robin, and thanks to everyone for your support!
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Chattanooga Room in the Inn Honors Former Board Members with New Legacy Scholarship Award and Celebrates Volunteers | |
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Our holiday celebration was incredibly festive and filled with the warmth of thanks for board members, staff, and volunteers alike. Awards were given to highly impactful volunteers and all were celebrated with an affectionate appreciation for how they bolster CRITI and its residents.
A special award was given to Andy Pearson (former board Chair) and Julie Russell (former board Chair) whose legacies will live on for their contributions to the success of CRITI and the residents it serves. Andy and Julie were the first honorees for our Legacy Scholarship, which will ensure all children at CRITI during the summer months get to attend a summer camp where they will learn, grow, and have fun.
A special thanks to the CRITI board committee who planned the event, Southern Star Restaurant for donating catered food, Mac Ave for donating the event space, and Scott Pryor for donating A/V services for the evening.
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Sending out a HUGE CRITI THANK YOU to everyone who donated for GivingTuesday! We raised more than $8300! These folks were just a fraction of donors who pulled through to make this the best CRITI GivingTuesday yet! A special thank you to all our anonymous donors as well! | |
Board Spotlight: Jessica Roden | |
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Jessica has been an incredible asset to the Chattanooga Room in the Inn Board of Directors since day one! As the Community Development Board Chair, she collaborates passionately with our Director of Development to take our fundraisers and community involvement to new heights. Her enthusiasm and commitment to our fundraising efforts truly shine, making a remarkable impact on our mission and the community we serve!
Jessica had this to say about her board membership, "I joined the board in January 2022 after learning about the transformative work Room in the Inn does in our community. I was drawn to CRITI's mission and commitment to serving our most vulnerable neighbors. It is an honor to be part of a group that not only provides critical support during times of crisis but also empowers individuals and families with the tools to achieve lasting, generational change. The dedication and passion of our leadership, staff, and board inspire me every day."
Taylor Hixson, Executive Director says, "Jessica has taken a strategic approach to her role as Community Development Chair, focusing on creating lasting change in our community and building sustainable infrastructure within our organization. Her dedication has made, and continues to make, a significant impact in advancing our mission. She also serves as a valuable support system to staff, always seeking opportunities to meet the needs of our clients and address any gaps in partnerships and programming. I am so grateful for her expertise and commitment."
"Working with Jessica since I joined in August has been an absolute delight—it's like having a fundraising cheerleader on the board! She's organized, dependable, and her positive attitude could probably power a small city. From the get-go, Jessica has been eager to dive into our mission and support our fundraising efforts, proving her dedication to CRITI's objectives—and I’m starting to wonder if she has superpowers! I am truly grateful I get to work with a dynamic woman such as Jessica", says Adrienne Koon, Director of Development.
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Thank You Family Sponsors | |
Every year, CRITI receives numerous requests to adopt a family for the holidays to which gifts, food, and supplies can be given. We are overwhelmed with the generosity felt through the selflessness of so many caring people. It's incredible how supporters want to make sure the holidays are the absolute best for our residents in spite of their current circumstances. We are eternally grateful for these businesses, individuals, and churches who adopted a family this holiday season: | |
Also, a big thank you goes out to Deana and Tim Carter who provided delicious meals to the women and children on Thanksgiving and Christmas. This wonderful couple are a regular Food Provider but stepped in for these extra two days, relieving the regular food providers for the holiday. | | |
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Chattanooga Room in the Inn Hosts Holiday Party for Residents
To start the festivities, our food provider for the evening ordered pizza and everyone ate while the kiddos built foam snowmen that turned out super cute!
Next, residents participated in a game where two contestants competed to scoop the most cotton balls onto a plate while blindfolded. This was super fun to watch because they couldn't feel the weight of the cotton balls in the spoons so sometimes, they were just scooping air. Everyone had a blast participating and observing!
We also had gingerbread house kits for families to assemble. We don't have photos of completed houses because a lot of the goodies got eaten before they were finished building.
THEN! There was a surprise visit from Santa Claus himself! The children were delighted to see him and a couple ran up to hug him. It was adorable! Santa then read the story Pete the Cat Saves Christmas.
And finally, we had gifts set aside so the children could "shop" for mom from our stockpile of gifts you've donated recently. It was a wonderful moment where the kids get to be part of holiday gift giving and choose the gifts mom will get for the holiday.
All in all, this was a special event where memories were made for families and the holidays were made a bit brighter for the residents here at CRITI.
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Thank you to everyone who donated in December! | |
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These are just a few of the groups and businesses who donated for the holiday season:
- Scenic City Serves
- GraceWork Church
- UTC Children's Center at Battle Academy
- America's Home Place
- Infinity Flux
- Yuliana and Family
- Chattanooga Quilter's Guild
- Pam Lewis, Arta Tibbits, friends, and Garden Plaza of Greenbriar Cove
- Gamma Theta Sigma Philo
- Trust Federal Credit Union
- Whitwell High School
- Lorraine Hipp from First Christian Church
- Mack, Katlyn, Tyrese, Yvonne, and Jim from A Caring Circle of Friends (ACCOF)
- Genesis Investments
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Join the Chattanooga Room in the Inn Shelter to Stability Donor Society
Join the Shelter to Stability Donor Society and make a meaningful impact in the lives of women and children in our program. Your dedication can transform into essential resources like clean clothes, mental health counseling, and life skills classes, all of which contribute to a path toward stable living. Together, we can create a brighter future for those in need.
Thank you to our current donor society members!
- Karen Scott
- Deborah Hulse
- Pamala and Robert Thompson
- Jordan Farmer
- Clear Creek Church of Christ
- Jack Mckee Family
- ARTS Build (Community Cultural Connections Grant)
- Community Foundation of Greater Chattanooga
- Anonymous (x8)
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