Room at the Inn (RATI) is a non-profit, service-based organization that provides housing to the homeless community during the harsh winters of Missouri. They extended their housing season to April 4th as the Spring weather had been unusually cold this year.  

RATI was able to work with the City of Columbia to move its services to the coliseum at Northeast Regional Park. Steve Hollis, Human Services Manager for the city, reached out to Socket to inquire about the connection possibilities, and was met with an “unbelievably gracious” response: free fiber!

The organization used our fiber to run the Homeless Management Information System. This system is required for any organization that works with the homeless and allows them to not only track who they help but acquire more funding as a result.

According to Hollis, the information system isn’t the only reason they needed service. “Everything we do is done on the internet,” he says, “So not only is it critical for Room at the Inn’s operation, but it’s also really critical that guests have connectivity so they can get the services they need.”

These “services” include applying to jobs, staying connected with current or potential employers, and even applying for standard housing. “It’s (internet) essentially a utility now,” says Hollis. “We don’t question people who want electricity. I think we’re at the point where there’s no question that folks need to be connected…”

As a telecommunication company, we understand the importance of being connected and how having that ability can affect many areas of daily life. With this in mind, we work hard to expand fiber services throughout rural and populated areas of mid-Missouri, and we don’t plan on stopping yet! We've made plans to expand further into Northern Boone County with the hopes of helping everyone stay connected through unusually fast internet. Click here to check if you're within our service boundary!