Brian York of Park Ridge places new gloves from the Dollar Store on his hands as he prepares for an overnight stay in the Oakton Community College courtyard Tuesday evening as part of an event to raise awareness for the plight of the homeless. York, an Oakton student, was homeless two years ago after he suffered an on-the-job injury and his disability insurance ran out.

JOE LEWNARD | Staff Photographer

Brian York of Park Ridge prepares his cardboard dwelling for an overnight stay in the Oakton Community College courtyard Tuesday evening as part of an event to raise awareness for the plight of the homeless. York, an Oakton student, was homeless two years ago after he suffered an on-the-job injury and his disability insurance ran out.

JOE LEWNARD | Staff Photographer

Student Brian York of Park Ridge adds lighting to his cardboard dwelling as he prepares for an overnight stay at Oakton Community College's Des Plaines campus courtyard Tuesday evening as part of an event to raise awareness for the plight of the homeless. York was homeless two years ago after he suffered an on-the-job injury and his disability insurance ran out.

JOE LEWNARD | Staff Photographer

Oakton Community College student Andrew Ellis of Chicago prepares his cardboard dwelling for an overnight stay in the courtyard of Oakton Community College's Des Plaines campus. The college's chapter of Habitat for Humanity sponsored the event to raise awareness for the plight of the homeless.

JOE LEWNARD | Staff Photographer

Marvin Bornschlegl, a faculty member of Oakton Community College's Human Services program, shows a "shantytown" created by students to Joi Smith, vice president for student affairs, and her daughter, Rachel, 8. The Oakton Community College chapter of Habitat for Humanity sponsored the event to raise awareness for the plight of the homeless.

JOE LEWNARD | Staff Photographer

Roughly 27 Oakton Community College students stayed through the night Tuesday in shanties they built out of discarded cardboard boxes in the courtyard of the Des Plaines campus. The project was sponsored by the college's Habitat for Humanity Chapter to raise awareness about the plight of the homeless. The shanties will stay up all week as a reminder to other students.

MADHU KRISHNAMURTHY | Staff Photographer

Roughly 27 Oakton Community College students stayed through the night Tuesday in shanties they built out of discarded cardboard boxes in the courtyard of the Des Plaines campus. The project was sponsored by the college´s Habitat for Humanity Chapter to raise awareness about the plight of the homeless. The shanties will stay up all week as a reminder to other students.

MADHU KRISHNAMURTHY | Staff Photographer

From left, Oakton Community College students Sahil Pruthi, Jonathan Narcise and Ryan Alm huddle around a fire Wednesday morning to keep warm after spending a night out in the cold to experience firsthand what it would be like to be homeless. Roughly 27 students stayed through the night in shanties they built out of discarded cardboard boxes in the courtyard of the Des Plaines campus.

MADHU KRISHNAMURTHY | Staff Photographer

From left, Oakton Community College students Sahil Pruthi, Elizabeth Adcox and Ben Miller huddle around a fire Wednesday morning to keep warm after spending a night out in the cold to experience firsthand what it would be like to be homeless. Roughly 27 students stayed through the night in shanties they built out of discarded cardboard boxes in the courtyard of the Des Plaines campus.

MADHU KRISHNAMURTHY | Staff Photographer

Oakton Community College student Ryan Alm describes how he kept warm while sleeping outdoors in a cardboard box to experience firsthand what it would be like to be homeless. Roughly 27 students stayed through the night in shanties they built out of discarded cardboard boxes in the courtyard of the Des Plaines campus.

MADHU KRISHNAMURTHY | Staff Photographer