11-13 Hundreds to Sleep Out & Rally for Homeless in DuPage County

Background: On the night of Saturday, November 13, hundreds of DuPage County (west of Chicago) residents will volunteer to be homeless for one night in tents, cars or cardboard shelters. Church lawns and private homes throughout DuPage County will serve as temporary transitional housing centers. Whats the point of all this? To raise awareness -- and money - to help homeless families.

(PRWEB) November 10, 2004 -- What: Go Light Your World" Rally for the Homeless and Overnight Sleep Out

Who: Participants from 25 churches throughout DuPage County

When: Saturday, November 13 from 7-8 PM

Where: Rally::College of DuPage, Parking Lot P: SE corner of Lambert and 22nd; Sleep Out Saturday locations listed below

Sponsor: Bridge Communities::Jennifer Hodge Jeryzk, 630.545.0610, ext 12, jjeryzk1@yahoo.com

Media Coverage Suggestions: Invite Bridge Communities founders to talk about the homeless, show SOS participants outside your studio during a morning show, report from a church lawn on Sunday morning, cover the Rally

Background: On the night of Saturday, November 13, hundreds of DuPage County residents will volunteer to be homeless for one night in tents, cars or cardboard shelters. Church lawns and private homes throughout DuPage County will serve as temporary transitional housing centers. Whats the point of all this? To raise awareness -- and money - to help homeless families. The event takes place at the beginning of National Hunger and Homelessness Awareness Week. To participate in or contribute to what may be DuPage Countys largest Sleep Out ever, visit www.bridgecommunities.org or call Jennifer Hodge Jerzyk at 630.545.0610, extension 12.

Participating SOS DuPage Churches hosting SOS overnight on November 13

BLOOMINGDALE: St. Isidore

DARIEN: Our Lady of Mt. Carmel

GLEN ELLYN: First Congregational Church, Faith Lutheran, First Presbyterian Church, First United Methodist Church, St, James Parish, St. Petronilles Parish, Southminister Presbyterian Church

HINSDALE: Hinsdale United Methodist Church

ITASCA: St. Peter the Apostle

NAPERVILLE: Families Helping Families, Grace United Methodist Church, Our Saviors Lutheran Church, Sts. Peter and Paul, St. Thomas the Apostle

ROSELLE: Trinity Lutheran (Stepping Stones)

WAYNE: Little Church by the Wayside, Resurrection Parish

WHEATON: St. Daniel the Prophet, Trinity Episcopal Church

WINFIELD: St. John the Baptist

WOOD DALE: Holy Ghost Catholic Church

WOODRIDGE: St. Scholastica

Statistics on Homelessness and the Working Poor in DuPage County from the DuPage Federation on Human Services Reform

Over 50,000 families in DuPage County qualify as working poor; nearly 40% of DuPage Countys homeless are children. The overall number of homeless persons served in DuPage County increased by 30% between Fiscal Year (FY) 2002 and FY 2003 40,892 persons received homeless prevention services during FY 2003, a 46% increase from the 22,266 served during FY 2002.

###