Sleep Out for Poverty 2018

On Friday May 25th to May 26th , the Saint Louise de Marillac Saint Vincent De Paul Youth Conference hosted their fifth annual ONRC Sleep Out for Poverty. This fundraiser provides participants with the opportunity to recognize what many of our friends in need have to endure on a daily basis. The participants listened to guest speakers share about community topics including prison ministry, and the mission of the St. Joseph’s Hospitality Center and L’Arche organizations. These speakers certainly provided insight into some of the valuable work being done throughout London for the vulnerable members of our community. Sleep Out participants also built their own shelters out of cardboard boxes and slept in them overnight. This unique experience helped to shed some light on the struggles faced by the homeless who do not get the same luxury of a shelter and bed that many of us take for granted. That evening we were blessed with 18 degrees C over night, one year we had 0 degrees and we had a different experience that time.

The next morning, the Sleep Out participants headed over to the St. Vincent de Paul store on York street where they had the opportunity to serve the less fortunate community directly at London Particular Council’s semi-annual barbecue. The youth put together blessing bags to distribute that consisted of food and toiletries, in addition to leftover supplies from the “On the Street” event from a few weeks ago. Our youth served approximately 450 grateful BBQ guests in the course of a few hours, and it was certainly a very powerful experience for all involved.

Communicating directly with the less fortunate members of the community and learning about each of their individual circumstances, makes you realize how diverse poverty truly is. Poverty should not be limited to a narrow, stereotypical perspective because every individual in need has a different story to tell.

Our Sleep Out for Poverty initiative was once again a great success, and the proceeds raised from our event will be used to support the working poor/homeless in Ontario.