(PRWEB) November 10, 2004
What: ÂGo 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. WhatÂs 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 CountyÂs largest Sleep Out ever, visit http://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. PetronilleÂs Parish, Southminister Presbyterian Church
HINSDALE: Hinsdale United Methodist Church
ITASCA: St. Peter the Apostle
NAPERVILLE: Families Helping Families, Grace United Methodist Church, Our SaviorÂs 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 CountyÂs 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.
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