What is homelessness? And who are those people with the “Homeless and Hungry” signs?

Nashville has several wonderful organizations that assist people who need shelter and help transitioning to permanent housing, including Room in the Inn, Open Table Nashville, Safe Haven, Oasis Center and Nashville Rescue Mission. Some focus on young adults, others on women, others on families, because people on the streets come in all shapes and sizes. How do these people end up homeless? What are their back stories?

Lindsey Krinks, co-founder of Open Table Nashville, says, ““For us, an open table signifies fellowship, community, and radical inclusion. In other words, we’re not here just to make sure our friends on the streets get crumbs from the table. That is no more than charity. We’re here to make sure our friends have a place at the table, and that is about justice.” Lindsey will be leading our class tonight, to help us better understand homelessness.

Lindsey graduated from Vanderbilt Divinity School in 2013 with a Master of Theological Studies. While at VDS, she was a Cal Turner Fellow, a Community Engagement Fellow, and a Brandon Scholar. She is on the Alumni council of VDS and is currently a New Leaders Council Fellow, a former Beatitudes Society Fellow and completed a year-long street chaplaincy residence through Nashville’s Clinical Pastoral Education Partnership. She was ordained in 2013.