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Sleep Out Saturday to raise money for the homeless on Nov. 1

A person earning minimum wage would need to work 89 hours a week to afford rent in DuPage County.

And, among the more than 71,000 DuPage residents who live in poverty, an estimated 625 have become homeless this year.

Sadly, many of the victims of homelessness are young children. The average age of a homeless person in DuPage County is 8.

That's why Bridge Communities is planning the 11th annual Sleep Out Saturday on Nov. 1 - to raise money for housing and other programs for homeless families.

On Sleep Out Saturday, roughly 1,500 youths and adults will get a glimpse of what it might feel like to be homeless by spending the night outside in the cold.

Themed "It's Time to Do Something," this year's event will feature about 75 outdoor sleep out sites, including backyards and parking lots in which participants will sleep in boxes, tents and cars.

Sleep Out Saturday will kick off with an outdoor rally hosted by NBC5 morning show anchor Stephan Holt at 7 p.m. at 505 Crescent Blvd, in downtown Glen Ellyn. The free rally is open to the public and will feature music, video and live testimonials from Bridge Communities clients.

Since its first event in 2003, more than 10,000 people have slept out to help homeless families, raising more than $1 million to date.

Last year alone, Sleep Out Saturday raised more than $130,000 for Bridge Communities' transitional housing program, which serves more than 120 families annually.

The organization's services provide roughly two years of housing, life-skills mentoring, financial counseling, employment training, tutoring and an auto repair and donation program.

With client families having an even harder time maintaining employment and making ends meet, Bridge Communities continues to increase the services it provides.

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