700+ people attended the Rally
1000+ people slept out
$68,323 in pledges raised (and growing!) That’s 2,732 shelter nights for homeless families in DuPage!
Our top fundraising groups to date:
- St. John the Baptist (Winfield): $3890.90
- Lisle Teens with Character: $3852
- St. Margaret Mary Parish (Naperville): $3514.55
- St. Thomas the Apostle (Naperville) $3000
If you couldn't make it to the rally (or even if you could), check out the rally video
Thanks again to everyone who participated! See you in 2007!
Monday, November 13, 2006
Monday, October 16, 2006
The Rally
Come learn more about how homelessness affects DuPage County homeless families at the SOS Rally!
The Rally will be held at the Glenbard South High School fieldhouse. We expect 1,500 people to attend. Don't miss it!
It will run from 7pm-9pm.
Kicking us off (and getting us pumped up) is the band Hook, Line and Sinker. Hook, Line and Sinker has played on tour with Five Iron Frenzy, Number One Gun, and The Insyderz and has played at Cornerstone.
John Lamperis will emcee the event. We'll have activities, multimedia presentations, and a variety of speakers, including former Bridge clients.
Put in on your calendar now! This event isn't just for "sleepers," but for anyone who is interested in learning more about homelessness in DuPage!
The fieldhouse in the the northeast corner of the building, across from the tennis courts and baseball field. Follow the signs to enter through doors 11 and 12. For directions, check out the Glenbard South website.
The Rally will be held at the Glenbard South High School fieldhouse. We expect 1,500 people to attend. Don't miss it!
It will run from 7pm-9pm.
Kicking us off (and getting us pumped up) is the band Hook, Line and Sinker. Hook, Line and Sinker has played on tour with Five Iron Frenzy, Number One Gun, and The Insyderz and has played at Cornerstone.
John Lamperis will emcee the event. We'll have activities, multimedia presentations, and a variety of speakers, including former Bridge clients.
Put in on your calendar now! This event isn't just for "sleepers," but for anyone who is interested in learning more about homelessness in DuPage!
The fieldhouse in the the northeast corner of the building, across from the tennis courts and baseball field. Follow the signs to enter through doors 11 and 12. For directions, check out the Glenbard South website.
Monday, October 09, 2006
Why Sleep Out?
I thought the question of "Why participate in Sleep Out Saturday?" would be best answered by groups who participated last year. Here's what a few of them had to say:
"We connected with SOS as a way to build awareness in our community about homelessness. In the end it was us, the ones who slept out, who had a greater understanding. We wanted, in the smallest way to 'get it' when it comes to realizing that thousands of people right here in DuPage county wonder where they'll find shelter in a storm or from the cold. We slept in our cars and the noise of the raindrops and thunder seemed to be amplified by our car roofs -- waking us up every few minutes. We came away from our experience wanting to tell all we met that homelessness is real in our community and that no one should be homeless. We can do something to change it -- and we must." --Kirk Moore, St. Matthew United Church of Christ, Wheaton
"We ended up with nine kids and my husband and I sleeping out. We watched Castaway starting around 10:15 and headed out to the tents after midnight. At one point, after the movie had ended but the rain droned on, one of the kids said, "Do we really have to go out into the rain?" I told her no, we didn't have to, we did have the option of our parish hall. Another girl spoke, saying, "Hey, you guys, people have paid us because we told them we were going to sleep out. We should really go outside." And with that, the decision was made. The rain only seemed to vary in intensity, but not stop, and over the course of the evening, we slowly lost sleepers to the indoors.
With our Stewardship Sunday approaching, I was able to use the SOS experience as a plug. Stewardship has to be felt to be meaningful, regardless of whether you feel it physically, emotionally, spiritually, or financially. Standing in my jeans, my sweatshirt, and my down vest, with my non-bed bed-head, I told my congregation that there were many things we enjoy daily that had become instant luxuries for me the night before: beds, extra clothes, enough food, even a roof over our heads. The only every day "item" that I felt would have really hurt me to lose were my friends, who, at that particular moment, were nine teenagers (ok, my husband, too!). If, through our stewardship, we could either prevent others from losing any of these "luxuries" or enable someone to gain one of these luxuries, I suggested that then we would be being good stewards." --Anne Bouchard, Little Home Church by the Wayside, Wayne
"We connected with SOS as a way to build awareness in our community about homelessness. In the end it was us, the ones who slept out, who had a greater understanding. We wanted, in the smallest way to 'get it' when it comes to realizing that thousands of people right here in DuPage county wonder where they'll find shelter in a storm or from the cold. We slept in our cars and the noise of the raindrops and thunder seemed to be amplified by our car roofs -- waking us up every few minutes. We came away from our experience wanting to tell all we met that homelessness is real in our community and that no one should be homeless. We can do something to change it -- and we must." --Kirk Moore, St. Matthew United Church of Christ, Wheaton
"We ended up with nine kids and my husband and I sleeping out. We watched Castaway starting around 10:15 and headed out to the tents after midnight. At one point, after the movie had ended but the rain droned on, one of the kids said, "Do we really have to go out into the rain?" I told her no, we didn't have to, we did have the option of our parish hall. Another girl spoke, saying, "Hey, you guys, people have paid us because we told them we were going to sleep out. We should really go outside." And with that, the decision was made. The rain only seemed to vary in intensity, but not stop, and over the course of the evening, we slowly lost sleepers to the indoors.
With our Stewardship Sunday approaching, I was able to use the SOS experience as a plug. Stewardship has to be felt to be meaningful, regardless of whether you feel it physically, emotionally, spiritually, or financially. Standing in my jeans, my sweatshirt, and my down vest, with my non-bed bed-head, I told my congregation that there were many things we enjoy daily that had become instant luxuries for me the night before: beds, extra clothes, enough food, even a roof over our heads. The only every day "item" that I felt would have really hurt me to lose were my friends, who, at that particular moment, were nine teenagers (ok, my husband, too!). If, through our stewardship, we could either prevent others from losing any of these "luxuries" or enable someone to gain one of these luxuries, I suggested that then we would be being good stewards." --Anne Bouchard, Little Home Church by the Wayside, Wayne
Monday, September 25, 2006
The end may be in sight
Is it possible to eliminate homelessness? The DuPage Homeless Continuum of Care thinks it is.
They have a plan to end homelessness in DuPage by 2010.
They have a plan to end homelessness in DuPage by 2010.
Bridge Communities (the organization that sponsors Sleep Out Saturday) is hoping to play a major role in helping the Continuum to reach this goal. Last year, Bridge provided 65,000 shelter nights to homeless families (One shelter night is housing for one person for one night). But it's not just a roof--Bridge prides itself on being a 2 year transitional housing program. So in addition to providing housing, Bridge offers clients a variety of supportive services. Each family meets weekly with a team of trained mentors who help clients with budgeting and other issues. Bridge also offers tutoring (for children and adults), job training, employment counseling, and case management services. The goal is for clients to reach self-sufficiency by the end of the 2 years.
Bridge partners with dozens of local churches and community groups who are seeking to help homeless families. Through the Continuum, Bridge also partners with organizations all around the county—including PADS, Catholic Charities, the Community Housing Association of DuPage, DuPage Habitat for Humanity, Outreach Community Ministries, and Family Shelter Service (and countless more! Check out the list on the Contiuum’s website to see them all) in an effort to end homelessness.
The task may seem daunting, but recent history offers hope. On Easter morning 2000, The Sumter County Initiative (
Tuesday, September 19, 2006
Moving Day
Have you ever moved?
I moved from
Most of us have moved at least once. It's stressful, right? The packing, the unpacking, the getting settled, making new friends, starting a new schedule.
Homeless families are on the move almost every day. If you are living in your car, you may have a place to keep your stuff, and you know you can sleep in it...but where are you going to park? What about tomorrow? Where are you going to shower? Where are you going to do your homework.
The National Center on Family Homelessness has studied how homelessness uniquely affects families. Here's what they found:
Families with children are the fastest growing segment of the homeless population.
Every year 1.35 million children experience homelessness.
They will move. Often as many as 3 times. 68% of those children will attend two or more schools.
They will be held back. 35% of those children will repeat a grade because of frequent absences or changing schools (compared to 10% of other children).
They will get sick. They will have twice as many ear infections, four times as many asthma attacks, five times more stomach problems, and six times as many speech problems.
They will experience violence. 25% will witness acts of violence within their own family.
They will wake up every day and worry about where they will go the next night. They will be hungry sometimes and not know where their next meal will come from.
I don't want this to be just another list of depressing statistics. I do want this list to be help people understand the breadth of the problem of homelessness in 2006. This year the theme of Sleep Out Saturday is "How Homelessness Impacts Children and Youth." Homeless families are a lot less visible than the homeless guy you pass on the street everyday—but it doesn’t mean they aren’t there.
Wednesday, September 13, 2006
107 hours per week
107 hours per week. That's how much you would have to work at a minimum wage job to afford a two-bedroom apartment in DuPage County. There are only 168 hours in a week.
Or look at in another way: the "Housing Wage" in DuPage is $17.33/hour. You have to be making $17.33 an hour to afford a two-bedrooom apartment. Housing is considered "affordable" if it costs no more than 30% of the renter's income.
How realistic is it to make $17.33 an hour? As a recent college grad, I know that most of my friends are making less than $17.33/hour. Which is fine for us right now--we can share apartments, we don't have children to support, and worst case scenario--we can always take out a "parent loan." But what if I was a single mom? If I can't find a job making $17.33/hour with a college degree (and the support of a full-time career office)...how much harder is it for someone who didn't have the chance to go to college? Or who was forced to drop out of high school? Or who isn't fluent in English?
The National Alliance to End Homelessness breaks the problem of homelessness down to a few key causes. First, there is not enough afforadable housing. Second, many people have incomes that are too low to pay for basic living expenses. Finally, it is hard for people to access resources that would allow them to live independently.
DuPage County is one of the wealthiest counties in the country. But high housing costs make it difficult for even families who earn the median income to afford housing. What about all the households who make less than the $72,400 median?
Or look at in another way: the "Housing Wage" in DuPage is $17.33/hour. You have to be making $17.33 an hour to afford a two-bedrooom apartment. Housing is considered "affordable" if it costs no more than 30% of the renter's income.
How realistic is it to make $17.33 an hour? As a recent college grad, I know that most of my friends are making less than $17.33/hour. Which is fine for us right now--we can share apartments, we don't have children to support, and worst case scenario--we can always take out a "parent loan." But what if I was a single mom? If I can't find a job making $17.33/hour with a college degree (and the support of a full-time career office)...how much harder is it for someone who didn't have the chance to go to college? Or who was forced to drop out of high school? Or who isn't fluent in English?
The National Alliance to End Homelessness breaks the problem of homelessness down to a few key causes. First, there is not enough afforadable housing. Second, many people have incomes that are too low to pay for basic living expenses. Finally, it is hard for people to access resources that would allow them to live independently.
DuPage County is one of the wealthiest counties in the country. But high housing costs make it difficult for even families who earn the median income to afford housing. What about all the households who make less than the $72,400 median?
Tuesday, September 12, 2006
About this blog
Welcome to the SOS blog! We're hoping this will be another resource your group can use in planning the event. I will post at least once a week (probably on Wednesdays) with some ideas on how to promote Sleep Out with your group or to answer common questions. Please continue to contact me with questions and concerns!
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