All are invited to join the HOTEL INC Farm to Table Fundraiser event on Saturday, September 7 at 6pm at the beautiful Tayvin Gardens venue in Smiths Grove, Kentucky. The food will be prepared by Chef Brittany Vincent. Tickets will go on sale August 7 at www.hotelincbg.com/farm and must be purchased in advance.
“Our annual fundraiser, the Farm to Table Dinner, supports the operations of HOTEL INC,” said HOTEL INC Executive Director Rhondell Miller. “When you attend our dinner, you will enjoy the quality of food that we carry in the Delafield Co-Op Market, supporting both local farmers and our organization. Your ticket purchase helps to support our work with neighbors impacted in housing, health or nutrition.”
Founded in 1981, HOTEL INC helps others through extending love in the name of Christ. We support people working to improve their food, housing, and neighborhood wellbeing. One of these individuals, Connie (not her real name), had this to say: “Before I partnered with HOTEL INC, I felt lost, like there was no help for me. I didn’t know if there was a way out of the situation I was in.” Connie did not have her own place to live, and she relied on family members to let her stay on their couches. “I was grateful for their help, but I felt trapped,” she said. Her biggest barrier to finding her own place was finances. Through her work in the HOTEL INC educational program and one-on-one case management (Navigation), she gained the knowledge and power to move forward. She paid down debts, began saving money, and found an apartment that she could afford. When she completed the Foundations cohort, HOTEL INC helped cover her moving costs. “Now that I have my own place, it feels great. I don’t feel rushed, and I love how quiet it is,” she continued.
HOTEL INC has programs for individuals, families, and the Delafield neighborhood that are holistic, which means they address all aspects of life. In 2022, we opened the Delafield Co-Op Market, a non-profit micro-grocery store. We invite everyone to shop our farm-fresh fruits, vegetables, dairy, and meat products, provided by 25+ Kentucky farmers and producers. We offer a 30% discount to people living in the West End of Bowling Green, which does not have its own large grocery store. Customers from outside the neighborhood get to enjoy delicious products at regular store prices and know they are shopping philanthropically as we work to alleviate a food desert. In 2023, the Market provided $12,209 in discounts to West End customers.
The area’s housing shortage places immense stress on people who live paycheck to paycheck. At HOTEL INC, we are seeing more senior adults on fixed incomes and families (with children) experiencing homelessness for the first time. We help them obtain identification documents, make a budget, and find a new rental home. We maintain a network of 51 landlord partners who we work with to make sure their units are filled and that our partners (or clients) get housed. Our partnership approach means that people have long-term support in their work for long-term stability and sustainability. In 2023 and 2024, we worked with 118 households representing 177 people to obtain permanent housing; more than 90% are still housed. Our work brings long-term change. In 2021, we supported the formation of the Delafield Neighborhood Group. More than 25 neighbors are discovering the power of knowing their community members and working together to achieve their goals for safety and aesthetics. We have connected with over 100 Delafield neighbors this year in one-on-one conversations.
How can I help?
We need your support! Our organization relies on the generosity of community members (in addition to businesses, foundations, and other donors). You can contribute at www.hotelincbg.com/donate and purchase fundraiser tickets at www.hotelincbg.com/farm.
-submitted by HOTEL INC
