The Inn Between of Longmont, Inc. is a transitional housing facility serving homeless individuals and families in the St. Vrain Valley. Housed in the historic Great Western Hotel, it was rumored by tenants that ghosts roamed the halls. Tenant's minds were put at ease by Donna Lovato, the Inn's Executive Director, who says, "We do not have ghosts at the Inn, we have angels"

In Donna's ten plus years as Director of the agency, she has witnessed hundreds of accounts to prove her statement true. It seems that all she has to do is ask the angels for something and it miraculously appears. Whenever a new tenant moves in, they are always asked if they are in need of anything. Usual requests are for kitchen items and furniture. Within a day or so, someone from the community calls in to donate the item.

The Holidays are a magical time at the Inn. Last year, individuals and groups from the community adopted families or group of individuals at the Inn, providing gifts to the tenants. Last year, we had no one adopting the teens. Many of the teenagers living at the Inn have no support from their families, they are completely on their own. Two days before Christmas a family showed up to donate Christmas presents that they had purchased for their son. He had been killed in a car accident several days before. Even in their grief, they remembered teens living at the Inn. Through their generosity, each of the 3 teenage boys living here received two presents.

Several years ago, staff asked Donna why she has never asked the angels for money. "Well I guess I never really thought about it. OK angels bring us a million dollars!" She said. Donna was amazed when her half-joking request actually came true. In 2002, the Inn Between was awarded nearly a million dollars through the Worthy Cause Tax Funds for the purchase and renovation of their second building. This second facility allowed them to expand their efforts by adding 12 more apartments. Several years later in 2005, the Inn's angels came through again. Over the next four years, the Inn will receive nearly another million dollars from the Worthy Cause Tax Funds for the purchase of a third facility adding 8 more apartments.

Donna and the Inn's Angels continue to work miracles....

I nominate the Inn Between for the YourHub grant because the Inn Between not only provides housing, but also training and case management to the tenants to help prevent them from becoming homeless again.These services go beyond just shelter, and helps them transition back into the community as productive and self-sufficient individuals and families. To me, the Inn represents an organization that gives people help up, not just a hand out.