Sleep Out Saturday
On November 6, 2021, the St. Philip the Apostle family became ‘homeless’ for one night to raise awareness and support for homeless families in DuPage County by participating in Sleep Out Saturday. This year, the St. Philip the Apostle family joined dozens of other DuPage County churches and civic organizations to raise dollars and awareness of the growing problem of homelessness in the western suburbs. Though it can be hard to understand how homelessness can be a significant problem in an area as blessed as ours, unfortunately, the numbers don’t lie. In DuPage County alone, 13,143 children live in poverty. Children under the age of 5 are the fastest growing segment. Over 15% of the homeless in DuPage County are victims of domestic violence. It costs about $1500 a month to rent a 2-bedroom apartment in DuPage County. A parent would need to work 120 hours per week at a minimum wage job to be able to afford this rent. At Sleep Out Saturday, our St. Philip the Apostle families can really make a difference – while mixing fun, food and worship together in a great evening for a worthwhile cause.
Most of all, I hope that you will feel moved to have a family dinner discussion about homelessness and the tremendous blessings we enjoy. One way to approach this with younger children is to talk about the differences between ‘needs’ and ‘wants’ and to talk about the basic needs we all have of food, clothing and shelter and the ‘nice-to-have’ things such as candy. With older children, you might consider a discussion about the impact on kids (their schoolwork, self-esteem, etc.) when their families don’t have a safe place to sleep. We as St. Philip the Apostle families really can do something positive about homelessness. Your family’s awareness and participation can make a real difference in the lives of our neighbors right here in DuPage County.
If you would like to help the teens in their effort to raise funds for Bridge, please visit https://www.bridgecommunities.org/group123 to make a donation by credit card. If you would prefer to write a check, please make checks payable to Bridge Communities and drop it in the church collection basket with Attention: Nancy McKnight on the envelope, or mail it in to the St. Philip RE Office at 1233 W. Holtz Avenue in Addison, IL 60101. For more information on Bridge Communities--or ways you can help, please visit their website, www.bridgecommunities.org.
Below are photos from the 2021 Sleep Out Saturday experience.
Most of all, I hope that you will feel moved to have a family dinner discussion about homelessness and the tremendous blessings we enjoy. One way to approach this with younger children is to talk about the differences between ‘needs’ and ‘wants’ and to talk about the basic needs we all have of food, clothing and shelter and the ‘nice-to-have’ things such as candy. With older children, you might consider a discussion about the impact on kids (their schoolwork, self-esteem, etc.) when their families don’t have a safe place to sleep. We as St. Philip the Apostle families really can do something positive about homelessness. Your family’s awareness and participation can make a real difference in the lives of our neighbors right here in DuPage County.
If you would like to help the teens in their effort to raise funds for Bridge, please visit https://www.bridgecommunities.org/group123 to make a donation by credit card. If you would prefer to write a check, please make checks payable to Bridge Communities and drop it in the church collection basket with Attention: Nancy McKnight on the envelope, or mail it in to the St. Philip RE Office at 1233 W. Holtz Avenue in Addison, IL 60101. For more information on Bridge Communities--or ways you can help, please visit their website, www.bridgecommunities.org.
Below are photos from the 2021 Sleep Out Saturday experience.
