Never heard of a Sleep Out? That's okay! You're not the only one. A Sleep Out is one of the ways we raise money and awareness for our homeless and food-insecure neighbors. Participants are invited to briefly experience the plight of homelessness for a night by sleeping outside, in the elements, in a cardboard box.
Outside? Cardboard box? In November? Yup. You read correctly. Although we could never duplicate the real experience of what it is like to be truly homeless - when loneliness, lack of food, poor health and fear of personal safety are just a few of the innumerable daily
There's gotta be more than just sleeping out in boxes, right? Absolutely! In addition to providing a few creature comforts to warm you up on a cold November night - pots of soup, coffee and hot chocolate - we'll also be offering live entertainment from local bands. Representatives from area food banks, homeless shelters, as well as the homeless themselves will also speak throughout the night on issues of impoverishment, homelessness and food insecurity. After all, it's our goal not only to entertain and raise money, but to educate and raise awareness, teaching people all the ways they can make a difference in their community.
How do I get involved? Easy enough! There are two ways to become a Sleeper:
Solo Sleeper - If you're participating by yourself, print and fill out the Registration & Consent and Waiver of Liability forms (found below), raise a minimum of $100 from family, friends and businesses, and show up the night of the event with everything you need to make your box creative and cozy.
Team Sleepers - Participate with your friends, family, book club, church group, knitting circle, whatever! Round up as many people as you can, fill out the requisite forms below, and, like the Solo Sleepers above, endeavor to raise $100 per person for everyone on your team. ($100 / person may sound like a lot, but with the helpful Team Fundraising tips included below, trust us, it's a cinch!) (Note: While only one Team Sign Up Form is needed per team, each participating member needs to fill out a Registration & Consent Form and Waiver of Liability.)
If fundraising isn't your forte, or if you just want a few ideas, please feel free to refer to our Fundraising Tips and Team Fundraising Tips for a few tried-and-true methods.
Is there anything new this year? You bet. Chief among them is the Boxed-In Design Contest. We want you to put your thinking
Where can I get my box? As mentioned above, we'll be providing sleep out boxes to all participants on the night of the event. However, if you'd like to get your box early so that you can start decorating it / cozying it up, e-mail Sheila at This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it and she'll get you set up.
Is there any way to donate without sleeping outside? While we encourage everyone to become a Sleeper (that's half the fun and education!) we will certainly accept all manner of donations, be it monetary, canned goods or clothing. (Note: If you donate clothing please make sure that it's clean.)
Do I have to attend to donate? Absolutely not. You can either mail us a donation check (Mission:Change / P.O. Box 834 / Albany, GA 31702) or donate online via PayPal by clicking on the following button. (No PayPal account is needed.) You can also visit our Store, where 100% of the net proceeds from every mission-specific product sold goes directly to our missions.
Date? Time? Location? November 13, 2009, from 6 P.M. - 7 A.M. in the open field next to the Albany Mall (across the street from the Holiday Inn) in Albany, Georgia.
Is there an age restriction? While everyone is invited to participate, anyone under the age of 18 must be 1.) accompanied by an adult, or 2.) be a part of a registered group (which, likewise, must have an adult chaperon.) Anyone under 18, whether registered singly or as part of a group, must also turn in the Parent / Guardian Written Agreement and Consent Form found on the Registration & Consent Form.
Anything else I should know? We're firm believers that the best publicity is word-of-mouth, so please feel free to spread the word by posting our Sleep Out flyer on your web site, Facebook or MySpace pages! Also make sure to check out our blog write-up to see what went down at our first Sleep Out back on January 30, 2009. And while you're at it, check out our Gallery for pics from the event!
And remember: B.Y.O.B.! (Bring Your Own Blankets)
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physical, emotional and psychological struggles - sleeping out for the night can focus your thoughts on the growing problems of hunger and homelessness right here in your area. Forgoing the comforts of your warm home and soft bed, even if just for a night, can teach us how each and every one of us can make a difference in ending local homelessness and food insecurity, and how that difference can spread nationwide.
hats on and design a cardboard box shelter that best exhibits the themes of this Sleep Out. We'll supply the boxes - you supply the creativity! Just fill in this downloadable 
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We'd also like to give special thanks to Flint River Habitat For Humanity, who have been integral in helping us put this even together! You can visit them at http://www.flintriverhabitat.org.
