When: Thursday, November 10, 2016 at 8:00 p.m.
Where: Attention Homes, 1443 Spruce St, Boulder
As we get closer to Thanksgiving and our calendars fill up with holiday festivities, take a moment to reflect on how fortunate you are to have food on the table and a roof over your head. It’s a luxury that many in Boulder County do not have.
Approximately 850 people in Boulder County do not have permanent housing, according to a report by the University of Denver. More than 150 youth in the county between the ages of 12 and 24 are either homeless or at risk of homelessness. That’s why we feel so strongly about the fifth annual Sleep Out for Homeless Youth, which will be held on Thursday, November 10. The event is organized by Attention Homes, a nonprofit that provides resources for homeless and displaced youth in Boulder and Broomfield counties.
Participants in Sleep Out for Homeless Youth will get a glimpse into the lives of Boulder’s homeless youth by sleeping outside through a winter night on the lawn between Attention Homes administration building and the First United Methodist Church in downtown Boulder. Any adult or youth ages 12 and up may participate. Youth under the age of 18 must be accompanied by a registered parent or legal guardian. You can participate individually or get a group of friends and/or colleagues together to form a team.
Participants are asked to each pledge to raise $1,000 from friends, family, and colleagues in support of Attention Homes’ homeless and runaway youth services. You can feel good knowing that you’re helping to further Attention Homes’ programming and doing your part to ensure that fewer youth are left without a roof over their heads.
Over the last five years, participation in Sleep Out for Homeless Youth by local business leaders and community members has quadrupled. Last year’s event raised over $85,000 for Attention Homes’ programming. This year, more than 100 community and business leaders have already gotten involved and are helping to spread the word.
If you can’t make it to the Sleep Out, but still want to support the cause, keep an eye on the Attention Homes event calendar. They host several other events throughout November, all of which coincide with the activities of National Homeless and Runaway Youth Awareness month. Its “Sleep Out-Dine Out-Shout Out” campaign includes an event at the Boulder Museum of Contemporary Art on Wednesday, November 2nd featuring live performance art and conversation. The campaign continues with two Dine Out events, where a portion of sales from meal purchases go toward Attention Homes. This first is on November 18th at Twisted Pine Brewing, and the other will be held on November 22nd at Under the Sun.
If you are interested in participating in this year’s Sleep Out, or any of Attention Homes’ other events, check out their website.
While one night sleeping on the streets of downtown Boulder cannot fully reveal what it’s like to actually be homeless, this is a great way to show your support for a terrific organization that provides much-needed resources and programming for homeless and at-risk youth in our own community. It’s also an important reminder of everything we have to be thankful for this Thanksgiving.