Sleep Out helps raise homeless awareness

Five years after Sleep Out Saturday's birth, the Bridge Communities event is bigger than ever.

Organizers are expecting this weekend's event will have more than 1,500 participants hoping to raise $135,000.

If leaders reach their goal, the money would equate to 2,020 nights of housing homeless families, 40 donated car repairs, 25 tutoring programs for kids and 70 career counseling sessions for adults, Sleep Out Saturday Event Coordinator Lisa Hedrick said.

Participants are from all over DuPage County, including Addison, Aurora, Bloomingdale, Glen Ellyn, Lisle, Lombard, Naperville, Warrenville, West Chicago, Wheaton, Winfield and Wood Dale.

This year, Sleep Out Saturday Stars also will be recognized for their commitment to raising public awareness of homelessness.

The theme of this year's event is "Outside Looking In."

"It really is an amazing opportunity for those of us on the inside to sleep outside for one night and really feel empathy and compassion for people who are without," Hedrick said.

The event starts with a rally from 6:30 to 8 p.m. Saturday, Nov. 1, at 505 Crescent Blvd. in Glen Ellyn. The rally will feature emcee Rob Johnson, entertainment and testimonials from former homeless individuals.

Afterward, participants will return to their group sites, whether a home or church.

"They will do activities to help build awareness for the issues of family homelessness in DuPage County," Hedrick said, "and they will sleep outside for the night and the next morning will wake up and reflect on how it felt to be homeless for one night."

About 15 percent of the participants are younger than 14, roughly 75 percent are ages 14 to 18 and about 10 percent are adults.

Bridge Communities also is celebrating its 20th anniversary.