(WBBM NEWSRADIO) — More than a hundred local volunteers sleep outside to bring awareness to young adults facing homelessness.
Sleep Out Chicago is a yearly fundraiser for Covenant House Illinois, which provides more than 60,000 meals, and 10,000 secure nights of housing annually for local youth.
CEO Susan Reyna-Guerrero spoke with WBBM by phone as she prepares for a cold and wet night out.
“So we're a shelter program in East Garfield Park that provides comprehensive services to 18 to 24 year olds, where we have an interim housing program, a longer transitional housing program. A robust drop in program offering food, shelter, affirming services to young people experiencing housing instability.”
Reyna-Guerrero said that for her and about a hundred volunteers, it's just one night. They can get up, go eat and take a hot shower in the comfort of their own homes once it’s over – something that isn’t an option for roughly 12,000 Chicago youth living without stable housing.
“You know, it increases our awareness and empathy for the work that we do and the experiences of our young people.”
Donations toward shelter and care for Chicago’s unhoused youth, can be made through the Covenant House Illinois website.
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