Instead of sleeping on the streets or in a shelter this holiday, 26 of Williamsburg’s homeless will spend Christmas Eve and Christmas Day in the comfort and privacy of their own hotel rooms.
The homeless Williamsburg residents will spend Christmas warm and well-fed in eight local motels, thanks to a partnership between local, faith-based nonprofit Community of Faith Mission (COFM), area churches and the Williamsburg Hotel & Motel Association.
The eight hotels donated one or two rooms apiece for the two nights, according to Ron Kirkland from the hotel motel association.
Participating hotels include the Courtyard Marriott near Busch Gardens, Econo Lodge Colonial, Best Western Williamsburg Historic District, Quality Inn Historic East, Fairfield Inn & Suites by Marriott Williamsburg, Holiday Inn Express & Suites Williamsburg, Pineapple Inn and Housing Center and Country Inn & Suites on Pocahontas Trail, Kirkland said.
“It’s really exciting and humbling for us to see how many hotels are willing to participate in this,” COFM Executive Director Ashley Willis said.
Check in will begin around 3 p.m. Christmas Eve. The guests’ stays will last until the morning of Dec. 26, Willis said.
During their stay, guests can choose to either relax in their rooms or go out for the day, Willis said.
This is the third year COFM shelter guests will stay at hotels for the Christmas holiday. Williamsburg’s Temple Beth El will deliver dinner to all 26 guests both nights, and also pack breakfast and lunch for the following days, Willis said.
‘It gives the guests peace of mind,” Willis said.
