Did You Know . . . ?

It’s hard to believe that poverty and homelessness exist in a place like DuPage County. But they do exist, right here in our own backyard. In fact, did you know that…

• The average age of a homeless person in DuPage County is 8 years old? Of the 53,240 DuPage County residents living in poverty, over 60% are children.
• DuPage County had 59,459 people with incomes below the Federal Poverty Level? This is an increase of 14% in just one year.
• One of every 20 people in DuPage County lives in poverty?
• One person making minimum wage ($8.25 per hour) in DuPage County would have to work 2 ½ full-time jobs to be able to afford a rental unit at fair market rates?
• 150,000 DuPage County residents qualify as working poor?
• 1 in 3 homeless people are U.S. veterans?
• During the 2009-2010 school year, 792 homeless students were identified and educated in DuPage County schools, a 10% increase from the previous year?
• Families make up 40% of the country’s homeless?
• It costs $25 to provide one day of housing and service per person in the Bridge Communities program?
• There are more than 1,700 people now living self-sufficiently after completing Bridge Communities’ two-year Transitional Housing Program?
• Most importantly, did you know that you can make a change in the lives of homeless families in DuPage County?

Join us as we sleep out on Saturday, November 5 to raise awareness, raise funds, and raise hope for homeless families in Bridge Communities’ Transitional Housing Program. Sleep Out Saturday is an eye-opening, life-changing event you don’t want to miss. Sleep Out Saturday – make a change!

To learn more or get involved, visit the Sleep Out Saturday web site or contact Jennie Gates at (630) 545-0610, ext. 19 or jennie.gates@bridgecommunities.org.

These materials were made available under license from Bridge Communities Inc., a 501(c)(3) organization located in Glen Ellyn, Illinois.

Sources: Heartland Alliance; Illinois Poverty Summit; HUD; Bridge Communities Program statistics; DuPage County Homeless Continuum of Care; 2010 American Community Services Survey; DuPage Federation on Human Services.

It's Time to Sleep Out!

Welcome to the Sleep Out Saturday Blog!

We’re very excited about this year’s Sleep Out Saturday event, which will raise critical funds and awareness to help the homeless families in DuPage that we serve. We hope you’ll come back each week to learn more about Sleep Out Saturday and how you can play a part in helping families cross the bridge from homelessness to self-sufficiency.

Every penny raised by Sleep Out Saturday participants, the majority of whom are young people, is put directly into Bridge Communities’ Transitional Housing Program to impact the lives of the homeless families we serve.

Sponsors play a critical role in making this possible. As with any event, there is overhead with printing materials, signage, and promotional materials to get the word out, and we are able to cover the cost of all overhead through the generosity of our sponsors.

Sleep Out Saturday sponsors align their companies with one of the finest non-profit human service agencies in DuPage County. These generous corporations are solution providers, working together to respond to a critical community issue.

Please join us in supporting and thanking our sponsors, who each play a significant role in improving the lives of our most vulnerable neighbors. Together, we can create a bridge to a better future.

Platinum Sponsors:

Gold Sponsors:
Advanced Healthcare Associates
Bank of America
Central DuPage Hospital
Glen Ellyn Bank & Trust
Grand Prairie Transit
Harris Bank
Naperville Bank & Trust
Wheaton Bank & Trust

Silver Sponsors:
Community Bank Wheaton/Glen Ellyn
Directions
Nicor
West Suburban Bank

Bronze Sponsors:
Oxford Bank & Trust
Providence Bank
Selden Fox, Ltd.
SportsMed Wheaton Orthopaedics
Suburban Life Publications

This Youth Director Knows "There's No Place Like Home"

Youth Director Jim Best has learned the value of “home” through his ministries and participation in Sleep Out Saturday. “Home is a place where you feel accepted, you feel welcome, you feel loved,” he says. “We participate in SOS to help someone who doesn’t get these feelings because they don’t have a place to live.”

Jim’s involvement in SOS began five years ago while serving as Youth Director at Community United Methodist Church in Naperville. Youth Directors at two surrounding churches suggested that the three churches get involved with SOS together as a community block event.

After relocating to Baker Memorial United Methodist Church in St. Charles as the Youth Minister, Jim has introduced SOS as a new event to the congregation this year. There is nothing similar to SOS in this area, he says.

“Enthusiasm goes down when teens do the same events year after year. SOS is something new and it gets the kids motivated and excited.”

Jim is eager for the community’s response to Baker’s first SOS. The church is located on a main street in St. Charles and Jim hopes many will see the event and it will perk the interest of other St. Charles and Fox Valley churches so they too can get involved next year.

Jim plans to have his group attend the Rally. “The Rally is a great place for the group to see that hundreds of others are also participating and learn some facts about homelessness.” He likes to take notes on what the speakers say during the Rally and then quizzes the group on the bus ride back about statistics, rewarding each correct answer with hand warmers or warm socks. While planning this year’s activities, Jim recalls his most memorable SOS moment when he planned to have the police come to the Sleep Out site to roust the participants from their boxes and force them to move their belongings from one church parking lot to another church lot. The event was eye opening, he said, and the group learned that for the homeless, their shelters must be moveable.

To build motivation with his group leading up to the event, Jim keeps in constant contact with them and always asks how their preparations are going.

“The group is really fired up,” he says. “They are already collecting boxes and planning crews are meeting to build the shelters.”

As a SOS veteran, Jim advises new leaders to “stick to their guns.”

“Be prepared. Yes it’s going to be cold. Yes it’s going to be a long night,” he says. “But that’s the purpose- to give your group an eye-opening experience and allow them to feel more empathy going through life.”

You too can organize a group to sleep out for Sleep Out Saturday. Contact Jennie at jennie.gates@bridgecommunities.org for information on how your group or family can join us and sleep-out to raise awareness and funds to help homeless families.

Register your group and join us at the Rally on November 6th at 6:30 pm at 505 Crescent Blvd in downtown Glen Ellyn.

Support Baker Memorial Methodist Church in their efforts to raise funds for homeless families.

Britney Wants You To Join Sleep Out Saturday

Britney R., age 16, knew little about Sleep Out Saturday when her church youth coordinator asked for her help with it three years ago. Now the team leader for St. Thomas the Apostle in Naperville, Britney is busy planning activities and motivating her teammates for SOS 2010.

“I’ve learned so much from SOS,” Britney says. “I knew homelessness was a problem in other areas but I never thought it was so close to us until I heard the stories of real people who have gone through it.”

While planning this year’s activities, Britney remembers her favorites from past years including: the dependency and trust walk showing how much homeless people have to depend on other people, and a scavenger hunt illustrating how much homeless people have to worry about finding things to wear, somewhere to bathe and food to eat.

“This year’s theme, NO PLACE LIKE HOME, really does show how hard it would be to be homeless,” Britney says. “Home is where you can relax and feel comfortable and it’d be so stressful to be without one.”

Britney hopes to collaborate with 100 of her peers from St. Thomas the Apostle to sleep out this year.

The three-year SOS veteran offers advice to other participants:

• Be open-minded


• Wear warm clothes


• Don’t be shy to meet new people


• Reach out to people for donations, even those who you wouldn’t expect to donate


• Explain what you’ve learned about homelessness in the area when asking for donations


• Tell everyone you know about Text to Donate! Text BRIDGE to 20222 and $10 will automatically be added to your phone bill. It's so easy!

“Anyone can do it,” she says. “SOS draws so many different ages. We have little kids all the way through Grandparents who participate. You learn so much but it is a lot of fun, too. I encourage everyone to get involved.”

Can you take Britney up on her challenge to get involved? Register your group or family at https://bridgecommunities.org/sleep-out-saturday/register.html

Check out this video of a family that was helped by donations received from Sleep Out Saturday.

For more information on Sleep Out Saturday, call Jennie at 630-545-0610, ext. 19.

Great Ideas For Raising More Money For SOS

Can you fundraise to help house a homeless families?

Sleep Out Saturday is a great way to raise some funds for homeless families in our communities. All funds raised are given to Bridge Communities to benefit the families in our transitional housing program.

Create a fundraising page! You can personalize your own fundraising page. Upload your picture and set your fundraising goal! Tell your personal story as to why you participate in Sleep Out Saturday. Once your page is done send it out to potential donors via Twitter, Facebook and email.

Back Stage Pass! This year, Bridge is inviting the Top Three Fundraisers and Groups to a special Back Stage event at the Rally. If you group takes fundraising seriously, you could win:

• VIP Back Stage passes to a pre-Rally party with bandmembers from Flipside and The Mix's on-air DJ Koz
• Autographs and photos with Flipside and Koz
• VIP front row viewing at the Rally
• Invitation to come up on stage during the Rally
• Special post-event recognition in your hometown

Text To Donate! Cool new idea this year.... Text to Donate to Sleep Out Saturday. You can tell all of your friends and family to donate $10 each time they text BRIDGE to 20222. It's really easy. The donation will appear on the donor's phone bill.

Bridge Communities will offer fundraising incentives to groups that raise funds online. Keep an eye on this blog for more incentive information.

Combine your online fundraising with traditional and non-traditional off-line fundraising.

A few suggestions that may help your fund-raising efforts:

• Promote your financial goal in your solicitations. If people know you have a goal, they are more likely to help you with a gift.
• Make a list of everyone you know. Think big and you will be surprised at who will give if you just ask
• Ask for people to make a donation to your efforts in lieu of a holiday or birthday gift.
• Ask your parents to take the pledge form to their workplace. Write a small paragraph about your participation in Sleep Out and attached it to the pledge envelope.
• Take your pledge envelope around the neighborhood.
• Email or post to your Facebook page with a request to donate. Add the link to our video that is posted on YouTube and our website, in your email.
• In lieu of trick-or-treating for candy on Halloween; try to trick-or-treat for Sleep Out Saturday. Bring your pledge form and when they answer the door: “Trick-or-treat for Bridge Communities.” Wear your Sleep Out Saturday t-shirt or hat (pre-event delivery available for purchased t-shirts and/or hats).
• Do you attend a school with a dress code? Ask for a dress down day with a $5 donation to dress down. Add all the proceeds to your Sleep Out Saturday totals.
• Ask for friends to come over for a social gathering, show them the promotional video and ask them to contribute to your efforts.
• Send a follow-up letter/email after you Sleep Out. Add a picture of yourself with your yard sign and/or tent. Or if you don’t Sleep Out, add a picture of yourself at the Rally.
• Send a follow-up acknowledgement letter to everyone you asked – even if they did not contribute. Include how much you were able to raise and how it contributed to the pooled contributions from all our groups. Everyone will appreciate a follow-up and it will help increase your contributions for next year.
• Tell everyone you know about Text to Donate!

Remember that the process of trying to help and raise money is more important that the total amount raised.

Call Jennie at (630) 545-0610, ext. 19 with any questions.

Sleep Out Saturday - Get Involved

Do you want to get involved in a great cause? Sleep Out Saturday is a great opportunity to learn about homelessness in DuPage County in suburban Chicago.

This blog will give you great ideas on how you can get involved and motivate you to recruit a group to participate, fundraise to help homeless families and advocate for the families traumatized by homelessness. .

Just to give you some perspective as you think about participating, here are some recent statistics on homelessness in DuPage County:

• Average age of a homeless person in DuPage County is 8
• Number of children under the age of 5 who live in poverty in DuPage county is 13,143
• 45,000 DuPage County residents live in poverty; 30% are under
  age 5
• 121,000 DuPage County residents qualify as working poor
• $8,000 is the annual salary for a family of 3 living in extreme poverty; more than 17,000 people in DuPage County live in extreme poverty
• The number of people receiving homeless prevention services increased 114.98% from 2001 to 2005

By participating in Sleep Out Saturday, you are in the fight alongside an estimated 1,500 DuPage youth and adult leaders. Collectively, we hope to raise $120,000+ this year which will provide services and opportunities that connect families to a better future.

Thank you for joining Bridge Communities’ Sleep Out Saturday this year. We believe “there’s no place like home” and all children deserve the opportunity to enjoy one.

Regards,

Joyce Hothan
Executive Director
Bridge Communities

Sleep Out Saturday funds 4,000+ housing nights

"I wonder if homeless children ever get used to sleeping in a box or a car, or if they are uncomfortable all the time? Being homeless is very hard, so sometimes people lose hope. I hope homeless people have the courage to make that call (to Bridge Communities)."

These are the reflective words that an 11 year old SOS participant shared the morning after she learn about how it felt to be homeless and spent the night sleeping on the cold, wet ground.

Sleep Out Saturday has the power to move all of us to action. To help our communities become more responsive to the needs of our neighbors and friends.

What will you do make your community a little brighter?

Here are some ideas that we thought of:

When I was hungry…you fed me.

-Keep a list of all the snacks you eat in one week. Figure out how much money you spent on those snacks and give that amount to a charity of your choice.

-Keep track of how much food you and your family throw away for one week. Donate the equivalent to a local food pantry.

-Write down how much money is spent on fast food for a month. Multiply that amount by 12 to get an approximate total of how much is spent for the year.

-Participate in the holiday food baskets that are given through the food pantry at Thanksgiving, Christmas or Easter

When I was thirsty…you gave me something to drink.

-We take for granted the convenience of running water. On a designated day, whenever you need a drink of water or need water for cooking, go to the faucet outdoors. Drink only water, no juice, pop or milk for that day.

When I was a stranger…you welcomed me.

-There may be a new family that has moved into your neighborhood or church. Bring a dessert over to their house and introduce yourself.

-At school, observe the new students. Invite a new student to join you during lunch or recess to meet some of your friends.

I was naked…you clothed me.

-Organize a coat drive in October. Collect coats, hats, scarves, mittens, and boots for families who can’t afford to buy those items. Donate them to a local Walk-In Ministry or clothing pantry.

-Organize a back-to-school supply drive in July. Collect notebooks, pencils, folders, crayons, markers and glue sticks. Donate them to Bridge Communities to distribute to children in our homeless housing program.

-Organize a Quarter Fundraiser – collect quarters that can be used by Bridge Communities’ client families to help pay for their laundry. All Bridge apartments have coin-operated laundry facilities.

I was sick…you took care of me.

-Perhaps a neighbor has been sick or is too old to shovel their snow or cut their grass. Volunteer to do that for them and refuse any money for your services.

-Organize a day when all the youth volunteer their services to anyone in the neighborhood who needs help with yard work in the spring. Any money raised can be donated to purchase flowers or trees around a local chosen non-profit, church, school or public building.

I was in prison…you visited me.

-Most of us are not able to visit someone in prison. A group could collect books and donate them to the county jail. If there is a juvenile facility in your area, perhaps you could donate sweatshirts and pants.

-Older people living in nursing homes sometimes feel forgotten. Organize a day to play BINGO or other games with the seniors. Bring prizes to hand out. Have a group sing-a-long.

Thank you to everyone that helped make Sleep Out Saturday such a great event. Please watch this video to learn how your contributions of time, talents and treasures are helping Bridge families every day.

Please share with us how Sleep Out Saturday motivated you to help those in your community. No act of kindness or sacrifice is too small.

Blessings to you and your for a safe and happy holiday season.

Walking Alongside Them

Just as despair can come to one another only from other human beings, hope, too, can be given to one only by other human beings. – Elie Wiesel

Ten years as a Bridge Communities mentor has taught Hinsdale resident Mary MacKenzie that the most important part of mentoring is making sure people know that they are not alone.

She understands that this role requires both a financial and emotional pledge. It also requires a great deal of time. Currently, Mary and a friend are walking alongside Mary's fourth client through a community group at Christ Church of Oak Brook.

As part of the Bridge Communities program, each client family is paired with a mentor team for the duration of their participation in the Bridge program. Although it helps reinforce the respectful nature of the relationship, the term "client" sounds brazenly indifferent when contrasted against the tone of deep empathy and love with which mentors, like Mary, speak of the families. "I've always had moms," Mary mentions as she fondly describes her four clients, "They're great people who just need some help."

Meetings, phone calls, and crisis interventions are the true work of a mentor like Mary. "It's mostly just being there for the client... Letting them know that they can depend on you."

Knowing that they have support empowers clients to change their lives. At the end of two years, most clients have graduated from the program. That is what Mary says is the greatest reward: "seeing them continue on and becoming successful."

Mary described one of those amazing moments. She says "one of the highs of being a mentor" was watching her second client purchase a condo in the complex. "She burst out sobbing, realizing she'd be able to own it. I just held her and told her, 'You deserve it.' And that's what Bridge does for people."

For Mary, being a mentor is a rewarding and a surprising path, but it is not one without challenges. Mary knows, though, that if ever an obstacle may arise, she has Bridge Communities to look to. "They're always there," Mary says confidently, "to back us up and to give us advice."

Overcoming obstacles together is the most transformative part of the mentor-client relationship. Mary remembers experiencing such a change as she accompanied a client to the food pantry for the first time. "It was such an eye opener to me as to what it means to people to take charity. I think at that moment, I was changed... more caring, more compassionate. One of those situations I'll just never forget."

Planning Sleep Out For The First Time...

But the needy will not always be forgotten, nor the hope of the afflicted ever perish. Psalms 9:18

Hey, I’m Andy Jack, Middle School Pastor at Christ Church of Oak Brook and my group is participating in Sleep Out Saturday for the first time. I was born, raised, and educated in DuPage County. I received my MA degree in Christian Formation and Ministry from Wheaton College and I am an ordained minister in the Evangelical Church Alliance. I live in Wheaton with my wife, Kathy, daughter, Emma, and our new baby, Addison, born in September.

I was recently asked to share some of my thoughts about the event…

Why did you decide to do SOS?
It just makes sense for us to be the hands and feet of Jesus to the people in our own community. Serving our neighbors is what we want to be about as a church and student ministry. Yet, there are not a lot of organizations that will work with young teens. The SOS experience seems to be a very age-appropriate program that allows students to use their gifts and passions for a meaningful cause.

How do you think this event will be different/similar to things you've done in the past like the 30-hour famine?
I think it will tap into their desire to serve the same way many of our other events have. Our students desperately want to be a part of something bigger than themselves. Anytime we can provide students with a way to take risks, go beyond themselves, and make a difference, they respond. Any time we set the bar high, they go beyond what anyone expects of them.

What are you looking forward to most?
I am looking forward to our students experiencing the rally with hundreds of other students. I cannot begin to imagine the kind of energy that would come out of that kind of crowd.

What are you concerned about?
The sleeping arrangements seem like a logistical challenge for us. Honestly, I haven’t even begun to plan for that part of the weekend.

How do you think SOS will impact the kids you lead?
I hope and pray it wakes us up from our suburban apathy. Students and adults are blind to the issues of poverty, hunger and homelessness in our community. We think that kind of stuff happens somewhere else, but never in our own towns. Confronting our students with the truth should be enough to move them into action.

Feel free to contact me if you have any great tips for us, or if you want to talk to another “first timer.” ajack@cc-ob.org

Peace.

Andy

A Taste of What Sleep Out Saturday Means to Participants!

We should not let our fears hold us back from pursuing our hopes. – JFK


Hello again to our readers of the Sleep Out Saturday 2009 blog!

It’s now time to feature our second interview of four, and this week you can really get a feel for the tremendous sentiment that comes every year with Sleep Out Saturday. Another big thank you goes out to Michelle Stuhlmacher, from the First United Methodist Church of Glen Ellyn, for taking the time to speak with us. Here’s what she had to say...

Could you please tell us a little bit about yourself, and how you became involved in Sleep Out Saturday?
My name is Michelle and I am a junior at Wheaton North High School. My church has always been a big sponsor of Bridge Communities and last year one of the women involved in organizing SOS at my church asked me if I wanted to work as a peer leader for SOS. As a high schooler I have a ridiculously busy schedule – between homework, sports, and extracurriculars, I don't really have much free time. I thought that Bridge Communities was a great organization and Sleep Out Saturday a terrific event, but I didn't know if I could add yet another time commitment. Then I remembered what it is like out in the cold, and sometimes the wet, trying to fall asleep and thinking how hard it would be to do this every single night. I realized how lucky I am to have a place I can come home to and I decided that I could make time for a cause like this one. I agreed because the work that Bridge Communities does is so important to our community and is an awesome volunteer opportunity for an organization I really believe in.

We’re all glad you could find the time for something like this. What was your role last year?
I was a peer leader last year and really enjoyed it. As a peer leader I did some PR for the event like interviews and other media relations. I also can talk to groups of kids who do, or are, interested in doing SOS. I had never seen the planning and managing side of how Sleep Out Saturday is run until last year. I was amazed at how much time and energy went into organizing the event, but equally shocked at the enthusiasm and the passion of everyone who works at Bridge Communities. They believe in what they do and can't wait to share this love with others. I was thrilled to count myself among these great people working together for a very important cause.

What activities did you plan and/or participate in?
Peer leaders have a variety of roles; I mainly worked on public relations. I was interviewed for a radio news story on the event and the video shown at the rally the night of Sleep Out Saturday.

Do you believe more kids your age should become involved in events like this, and why?
Yes, events like SOS are so easy and simple. All you have to do is raise funds and sleep out for one night and you have helped a person or a family for a lifetime. We have the ability to do so much if we all work together, the more people we get, the more lives we can touch. If just one person raises money and sleeps out in their yard, he or she might be able to help a family for a couple of months. But if 1,000 people sleep out we raise thousands more and exponentially increase our awareness. And that is really why we sleep out – it is one thing to raise money, it is a completely different story to live a night in the life of a homeless person. After that one night people go home changed by the experience. I didn't realize how many things I take for granted living here in DuPage County. Be person 1,001...you do make a difference!

What do you look forward to most about SOS this year?
The rally! Every year it gets bigger and better. More people come and more entertainment is planned. I am excited not only to see the DJ or band that comes and plays, but also the sheer number of people who are all coming out with one purpose in mind. We are all there to make someone else’s life better…to give them a warm, dry place to stay. If you have ever slept out you know what it is like to wake up in the morning and be a little sore, a little groggy, but imagine feeling that every single morning and still having to go to school or work. It is something that not a lot of people get to understand. I look forward to others, and myself, being able to connect with the families who have been homeless.

This year's theme is HOPE...what does that mean to you?
That word has been used often around the country in the past year, but I think Bridge Communities provides real HOPE to many homeless families in DuPage County. They have helped move families off the streets and start them towards better education and jobs and permanent housing. Bridge Communities provides housing but it also provides HOPE for a brighter future. Each family receives a mentor them that guides the family on their journey to stability; these people really give the family new HOPE for the future. SOS mirrors the families' HOPE as well. By coming out on a chilly fall night, the sleepers show they have hope for a better tomorrow, one in which everyone will have somewhere warm and dry to stay.

Do you have any suggestions for new group/peer leaders this year?
Just that you are helping out a great cause and feel free to let people know that you believe that everyone should have a home. The experience you get from this night is not one that you are likely to get anywhere else in DuPage County. We are all so lucky to have a home so share your experiences, your time and your funds and help those who have not been so lucky. We can make the world a better place, just work together.

Thanks, so much, Michelle. Keep up the great work!
You’re welcome, anything I can do for Sleep Out Saturday is truly a blessing.
_________________________________________________
If you are a group leader and would like to nominate one of your teens or if you are a teen that is participating in Sleep Out Saturday 2009 and would like to be a SOS Peer Leader, please contact Lisa Hedrick at lisa.hedrick@bridgecommunities.org for more information.

That concludes this week’s segment. Please make comments or suggestions or share tips and stories about Sleep Out Saturday too!

Next week we’ll have a glimpse into a first time Sleep Out Saturday group and the excitement surrounding planning this event! Thanks and have a great week!

From A Veteran SOS Leader 's Perspective

Everything that is done in the world is done by hope.
- Martin Luther King, Jr.


Hello again to our readers of the Sleep Out Saturday 2009 blog!

This week will feature our first interview of four, and we know it will provide you with some great insight into what Sleep Out Saturday is all about. A big thank you goes out to Sandra Hill, from the First Church of Lombard, for taking the time to speak with us. Here’s what she had to say!
_____________________________________

Sandra, why don’t you start off by telling us a little bit about yourself and what you do?
I am The Outreach Coordinator for First Church of Lombard, United Church of Christ. My various roles include the coordination of The Outreach House – Home to Walk in Ministry and First Things First Infant Needs Outreach, the monthly Mobile Food Truck from Northern Illinois Food Pantry, The Community Table, and PADS. My role is to expand and encourage the numerous volunteer opportunities for our congregation and our community. I am also responsible for maintaining and fostering the relationships our Wider Church Committee has, including, but not limited to, Elmhurst College, Community Renewal Society, Lifelink, Interfaith House as well as our friends at Bridge Communities!

Wow! Sounds like you’re pretty busy. It’s great to know that someone’s doing all this great work! What then is unique to you about Sleep Out Saturday…what really drew you in the first time around?
Sleep Out Saturday is a perfect example of “walking in another person’s shoes”. It provides a wonderful opportunity to teach and to experience the issues of homelessness our brothers and sisters face on a daily basis.

What sort of activities do you have planned for this year?
We plan on doing a “Scavenger Hunt of Social Services” type of activity. Our participants this year will be given a 24-hour bus pass and a list of places to find that a person who is in need of assistance might need to locate. Such as: Department of Human Services, DuPage County Health Department, Food Pantries, PADS site for shelter, PADS Day Site, and so on.

That’s a really neat idea, Sandra! Do you have any suggestions for activities that new, first time group leaders can use?
We have an activity that we used last year to illustrate the need for a safety net and to also demonstrate how fragile relationships can be. After a lengthy conversation of the need to identify those in your safety net (other than school friends) and why you might need a safety net, we handed out rolls of toilet paper and ask our participants to write the names of people on each square. We used toilet paper to demonstrate how fragile safety nets can be and the need to have more than one or two people you could turn to if in need. We hung these around the sanctuary the next morning to encourage conversations with participants and those attending service.

That sounds like a great activitiy! As you may have experienced your first time around, new group leaders might have some concerns going into their first SOS. Anything you can think of that would help them out?
We always run the risk of planning too much or not planning enough. Bridge provides us with a tremendous amount of invaluable resources…Use them! Plan from them! But, be flexible and go with where the group needs to go when experiencing this event.

Lastly, Sandra, this year’s theme is HOPE. What does that mean to you?
As a community social worker, my professional life is to work with others and advocate. As a person of faith, it is my calling to help others…both with the hope that one person’s actions can bring about change and hope for a better tomorrow.

Thank you, Sandra. Your answers have been terrific and you really were such a great help!
It was my pleasure and my honor. I really look forward to this year’s event, and I can’t wait to continue my work helping others find HOPE.

Feel free to comment on anything Sandra has talked about, and discuss this with others on the blog. Come back next week for another great interview, this time with a high-schooler who’s making the difference!

Hope Springs Eternal at Sleep Out Saturday, November 7th!

Hope is the bedrock of this nation; the belief that our destiny will not be written for us, but by us; by all those men and women who are not content to settle for the world as it is; who have courage to remake the world as it should be. – Barack Obama

Welcome all new and returning readers to our blog for the sixth annual SOS (Sleep Out Saturday) season! Be sure to share this blog address with your group participants! Over the next six weeks, we’ll be detailing everything you need to know about this year’s event, as well as interviewing some very special people for insights on how to get the most out of your SOS experience!

This year’s event will take place on Saturday, November 7th and will feature over 75 groups, individuals, and families looking to raise awareness for the homeless of DuPage County. As we strive to give homeless families HOPE (this year’s theme) we look forward to helping you prepare for a night of experiencing homelessness.

As you may or may not already know, SOS is sponsored by Bridge Communities, a non-profit organization located in Glen Ellyn. They help homeless families in DuPage County become self-sufficient again. By sleeping outside in November, it gives us a chance (if only for one night) to experience what it might really be like in another’s less fortunate shoes.
The SOS 2009 rally will be better than ever. One of Chicago’s hottest radio stations, 101.9 The Mix, will DJ and emcee the entire event. We are excited for their presence and we know the kids will love it too.

In the coming weeks, each blog will feature an interview with people from four different perspectives, all involved with Bridge Communities in some way, but all speaking for your benefit. We want to make your SOS experience the best possible, so keep checking back every week!

For more information, and to register for this year’s event, please visit www.sleepoutsaturday.org. While you’re on the site, also check out the great videos in our Sleep Out Saturday Newsroom!

All of your thoughts, concerns, and questions are greatly appreciated. Feel free to give feedback right here on the blog.

Coming Up Next Week...
An interview with Sandra Hill, a returning SOS group leader! Hear what she has to say about the SOS experience!

Great news!

Despite the down turned economy, we have surpassed 2007 fundraising efforts! To date, individuals and groups participating in Sleep Out Saturday 2008 have raised over $115,000!

Bridge Communities can now provide more housing, transportation assistance, educational and employment training, tutoring for children and support services for families in crisis!

Thank you to everyone who participated! We couldn't do it without you!

Get Ready for Sleep Out Saturday 2009!

Saturday, November 7, 2009

Rally: Downtown Glen Ellyn
6:30 - 8:00 pm

Visit www.sleepoutsaturday.org to learn more about this unique fundraising event.

More information will be coming soon for our 2009 event on November 7th. Be sure to stop back over the next few months to learn more... stay tuned!

SLEEP OUT SATURDAY RALLY

Last Call for Sleep Out Saturday – Nov. 1

SLEEP OUT SATURDAY RALLY

WHO:
SOS sleepers, their friends & family, and anyone interested in helping those that become homeless.

WHEN:
November 1, 2008
6:30-8pm

WHERE:
Bridge Communities Headquarters – downtown Glen Ellyn
505 Crescent Blvd, Glen Ellyn

WHAT:
Sleep Out Saturday Rally

• CBS2 anchor Rob Johnson will emcee the event
• Jam to “Flipside” - a very cool local band
• Be entertained by The River 95.9 Street Team
• Meet veteran SOS sleepers who will give you some good advice
• Meet and listen to a former Bridge client whose family experienced homelessness to find out what it is was like for them and how Bridge made all the difference in what their future will be.

What happens when you run out of money?

There are many reasons why people end up in a homeless situation; those include poor planning, a mother and her children (with no income) leaving an abusive spouse, over spending, or a tragedy that financially depletes the family. Bridge Communities receives approximately 880 phone calls each year from families in a housing crisis. In fact, a one-night survey conducted on January 25, 2007 indicated that 766 persons in DuPage County were homeless that night. Did you know that the average age of a homeless person in DuPage County is eight? Of the 45,000 DuPage County residents living in poverty, 30% are under age five. The children are the innocent victims of homelessness.

So what does happen when the money runs out and the family can no longer afford housing?

Here’s what our clients experience:

· Kids start failing classes since they are upset and worried about their unsettled situation. They are unable to concentrate on their studies and keep up with the class.

· The family no longer has access to a computer and cannot use the library’s computers since they no longer are a resident and no longer have a library card.

· Some teens drop out of school to work and bring in wages for the family.

· Kids feel isolated and embarrassed and do not admit their situation to their friends; it becomes awkward for them when their friends ask, “Where do you live?” or “Could we meet at your house?”

· There are many incidentals many of us take for granted such as lunch money, field trip money, food at home for school lunches, spending money for a treat, money for new shoes, new backpack, the list is endless. For a family experiencing homelessness, these incidentals become major hurdles to address on a daily basis.

· Kids become even more isolated because many of the group activities or sports teams in which they participated in the past are no longer affordable now.

· Single moms must find work to bring in an income, however they cannot afford childcare.

In summary, life becomes stressful, embarrassing and about survival. The good news is that Bridge is able to help many of those families help themselves. By bridging the gap and providing housing, the parent can go to school to learn new skills to find a higher paying job. Also the Bridge counselors and mentors work with the family on budgeting, life skills, and tutoring the children. For the past 20 years Bridge has been making a difference and you can help by participating in SOS and raising funds to support the cause.

This week bring a can to school with you and ask your friends to donate all their loose change to Bridge Communities. Then ask your parents and neighbors for their support by giving their loose change. As you know, every little bit counts! You will be amazed at how much you can collect in a week if you just give it a try!

Bridge Communities Turns 20!

This week Bridge Communities celebrates its 20^th Anniversary. In September of 1988 Mark Milligan and Bob Wahlgren volunteered to help out at PADS (Public Action to Deliver Shelter). “I was struck by how many children were there that evening, the real innocent victims of homelessness are the kids,” Mark told us. He went home wondering what he might be able to do to just make a difference for one of those families. Later that month, Mark and Bob shared with a small group of friends the idea they had to help homeless families transition from despair to hope and rebuild for their future. Their friends joined in their effort and donated funds to help sustain an apartment for three months. The following month “The Apartment Project” was founded through First Congregational Church of Glen Ellyn which provided mission funding to help house and mentor one homeless family-providing them with the break they need to get back on their feet. Since then, there have been many milestones:

Ø September of 1994 - the Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) awards $627,000 to Bridge to build an 8–unit apartment building

Ø January of 1996 - Bridge was serving nearly 15 families annually in cooperation with Catholic Charities and several church affiliations

Ø September of 1996 – Bridge hires an executive director, case managers and other staff members and moves into permanent office space

Ø December 1997 – 40 families enrolled in the program

Ø Fall 2004 – Bridge’s first SOS – Sleep Out Saturday where nearly 500 DuPage County residents experience homelessness for one night

Ø December 2005 – 70 families served annually

Ø January 2008 – Bridge partners with nearly 400 volunteers who serve as mentors, learning resource “teachers” and professional tutors.

Ø October 2008 – Bridge celebrates 20 years of helping over 1800 people who were homeless get back on their feet again.

This past year alone, there were 1004 phone calls to Bridge from families in a housing crisis and Bridge was able to provide 71,000 nights of shelter. Bridge now has 74 apartments in the transitional housing program located in DuPage County.

20^th Anniversary Challenge: Blog us back and tell us 20 words that describe homelessness to you. The best entry will win a prize at the Sleep Out Saturday Rally on November 1st!

How Will You Pay For College?

Many of the teens sleeping out on November 1 are planning to attend college in the future. And many of those same teens are lucky enough to have parents who can afford to send them to college or at least help them find a way to afford to attend college. But what if you knew there was no chance for you to go to college? Your world of opportunities would look very different.

According to CNNMoney.com for the last 20 years, colleges and universities across America have been raising the cost of tuition at a faster rate than the costs have risen on any other major product or service – four times faster than the overall inflation rate and faster even than increases in the price of gasoline or health care. Unbelievably the price for college has skyrocketed 439% since 1982.

A family with at least one strong income can barely afford to send their child or children to college. It’s impossible to think someone that is homeless could afford college. We are happy to report that Bridge Communities was able to award five scholarships last July to help with tuition costs for five different kids to go to college. Bridge understands the importance of keeping teens' dreams alive and allowing them the opportunities to succeed.

For many of those other homeless families who couldn’t obtain a scholarship, their teens will need to help with the family income by finding a job. That job will most likely earn them a minimum wage. If you worked 40 hours a week on minimum wage (federal minimum wage is $5.85 per hour) you would earn $12,168 for the year, before taxes. You still couldn’t afford the rent of a basic apartment in DuPage County. If you did have just enough for rent, there would be nothing left for food, clothes and the list goes on. One of the first questions Bridge counselors ask their homeless client: “how can we increase your skill level with education so you can earn a higher salary which will allow you to afford your basic living expenses?”

The message here is to stay in school and do well in your studies. Learn as much as you can so you can continue on to college. That college diploma will open up all sorts of new opportunities for you to work and earn a salary that will afford a house, a car, food and clothes. According to CollegeRecruiter.com, college graduates who majored in marketing are starting at an average salary of $41,300; accounting majors are averaging $47,700 their first year; those majoring in computer science landing their first job can expect to start at $51,000. Well worth the investment of working hard in school!

Stay and school, do well, and invest in your future.

Visit www.sleepoutsaturday.org to learn more about Bridge Communities and what Sleep Out Saturday is all about!

Outside Looking In

On the outside looking in is no place for a high school junior or anyone else!

This year’s theme is “Outside Looking In.” Cristy was a high school junior when she and her mother became clients of Bridge Communities. Cristy felt that way when she attended high school. She commented, “I felt unwelcome, I didn’t feel normal….I had to lie because I was too embarrassed to talk about where I had been”, which was homeless.”

For Jill, a mother of six, the phone call to Bridge Communities was one of the most difficult calls she had ever made. She is a single mom who supported her children by working in the mortgage industry for the past 18 years. When the mortgage industry drastically declined, she lost her job. She could no longer make the housing payments and they quickly became homeless. “I felt a real sense of failure letting my kids down. Kids should never have to worry about having a roof over their head.” Luckily, Jill did make the call to Bridge and was accepted into the program. Now, with the help of Bridge, she is pursuing her dream of becoming a registered nurse while working to put a roof over her family’s heads.

Did you know that unemployment in DuPage County, though low by national standards, remains at a relatively high level compared to historic trends? Although DuPage County has the second highest median income in the Chicago Area, it has more low income persons than the total population of 87 counties in Illinois, according to the DuPage Federation on Human Services.

We asked Bridge what they found to be significant factors, patterns and/or obstacles for people who become homeless. Once you take alcohol and drug abuse out of the picture, here’s their list of top reasons:

• High rate of domestic abuse
  
  
• Make bad relationship choices
  
  
• Bad credit, high debt
  
  
• Lack of budgeting skills
  
  
• Depression is a common theme
  
  
• Lower functioning – poor education, undiagnosed learning disabilities
  
  
• Lack of specific professional training or expertise
  
  
• Decision making is framed through a short term, “survival” type of lens
  
  
• Lack of understanding of long term consequences or effects from this kind of decision making. Inability to think/plan long term

It’s important to realize that in a wealthy county like DuPage, there are a number of people struggling with homelessness. Share this story with a friend and ask him or her to join us on November 1^st for Sleep Out Saturday. Then go ask two more people to sponsor you. It only takes $25 a night to house a person in the Bridge Communities transitional housing program.

YOU CAN MAKE A DIFFERENCE! visit www.sleepoutsaturday.org for more information.

What Does It Cost For You To Be You?

We are very fortunate to live in DuPage County; it’s one of the wealthiest counties in the nation. Employers willing to pay high-skilled workers substantial salaries are based here such a Lucent Technologies, McDonald’s Corporation, Tellabs, Inc, and BP Amoco. The federal government has also located two high profile centers in our county: Argonne and Fermi National Laboratories. The bar seems to be raised in our community and the cost to live here is much greater than if you lived in other areas of the country. This blog is meant to offer a reality check and really add up what it costs for a teen to “fit in” in DuPage County.

Let’s just tally up a list of the typical items that are a part of your everyday life:

With the exception of clothes and a backpack, most of the above items are more luxury than necessity. They make your life more enjoyable and exciting and allow you to “fit in” with your peers. One could argue that the cell phone is needed for safety and that a computer is necessary for success in school today. However, the fact remains that most of your parents are shelling out between $1,500 and $10,800 per year for you to fit in with your friends. On top of that, there is a monthly cost of $250 to $2,030 to maintain that lifestyle. The cost starts to multiply with more teens in the house.

What happens if your parents could no longer afford the bare necessities of food and shelter? The first things to go would be the list of items above. After that initial shock, the reality of no longer belonging to a community would overwhelm you. From not having a public library card to check out books for school projects, not being able to use computers in the public library, no longer participating in any extra curricular activities that require payment, not being able to invite your friends over to your house, to not being able to admit to your friends where you live. It’s amazing how much we take for granted until it’s taken away.

Can you think of one of those items listed above that you could do without for just one month or even just one week? Could you take that money and donate it toward helping those less fortunate than you? Maybe you could brown-bag lunches instead of buying them at school, forego a movie one weekend, or just stay out of Starbucks for a month. It all adds up and could really make a difference to someone in your own community who doesn’t even have the basics anymore. Remember, it’s the kids who become the innocent victims in homelessness.

So be a kid helping another kid. Put these items on your “TO DO” list this week:

• Find one thing on the list above that you can do without for just a week or the whole month and donate that money to SOS
• Sign up for Sleep Out Saturday
• Ask and a friend or family member to sponsor you
• Ask a friend to join you for SOS

Let us know what you think of this blog. Do you agree with our list of luxury items? Do you see your friends having this same list of items? Could you live without them? If so, how would you feel about that? Don’t forget to check back next week when we talk about how someone ends up being homeless.

Would you Sleep Out on Saturday, November 1st?

Welcome to the first of many blogs for the fifth annual SOS (Sleep out Saturday) season. Every week we will post more information about the what, where, when, and how to get involved in SOS 2008. Please feel free to chime in with any questions or comments; we want to hear from you!

You can either sleep out with your church or community youth group or ask friends to join you in your backyard. Either way, it’s your chance to experience homelessness for one night and make a difference in someone else’s life by asking friends and family to sponsor you. We purposely sleep out in November so you get a real feel for what it’s like to be outside looking in (that’s our theme for this year) on a cold autumn night. Then just imagine what it’s like in the winter!

SOS is put on by Bridge Communities, a non-profit organization in Glen Ellyn, Illinois. They help homeless people in DuPage County become self-sufficient again. Today, Bridge is celebrating 20 years of transforming the lives of homeless families through partnering with talented, resourceful individuals and groups in the community.

On the evening of the Sleep Out, we will provide a number of activities to help you come to grips with what it would be like to be homeless and to realize this problem exists in your own community. Activities may include viewing a movie, doing a scavenger hunt and attending the SOS Rally that evening from 6:30 to 8:00 at Bridge Communities, 505 Crescent Blvd., in Glen Ellyn. The SOS Rally is a great way for the hundreds of sleepers to come together and feel the power of helping your fellow neighbor in your own community.

Here’s what some of the experienced SOS sleepers have said about sleeping out:

• “How anyone could sleep on the cold and wet ground, and still get up in the morning and go to work or look for work, I don’t understand.”
• “I had a difficult time sleeping. I was cold and I was afraid my kids were cold. When I did sleep, I dreamed of homeless children. As I heard stories, I became fearful that it could happen to me, or anyone I know.”
• “This year I learned about the personal struggle to function on a day-to-day basis without the assurance of a roof over my head and a home to rest. This was profound for me. How it must wear on the body and soul”
• “We learned that we want to use the blessings we have been given to help those in need.”
• “This is a really important way for many of us who are so fortunate to relate to those unlucky few who have basic needs of shelter, security and love that are unmet.”

Take a look at the video to show you some of the sleepers last year and who they were able to help: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=siyF8uizz1Q (You can also find this video on www.sleepoutsaturday.org)

Here are suggestions for ways YOU can make a difference. Every bit counts!

1. Sign up to participate in SOS 2008 – to register go to www.sleepoutsaturday.org
2. Face book at least three of your friends and tell them about your SOS plan and encourage them to join you! In the coming days, we will be starting a Face book Group.
3. Ask at least two people this week to make a financial pledge. Once you register, they can make a pledge online! Send them to www.sleepoutsaturday.org
4. Donate your lunch money for one week to Bridge Communities to help a homeless person in your town.
5. Plan on starting the SOS night at the Rally with over 1000 other “Sleepers”!
   
   Check in with us if you have any questions, otherwise we will be back next week to discuss “What does it cost for you to be you?”