1,500 Suburban Kids to Sleep Outside as a 'Wake Up Call' for Homelessness

-- This Saturday, Nov. 7 --

GLEN ELLYN, ILL., Nov. 5 /PRNewswire/ --

Who: Approximately 1,500 kids ages 12 to 18 will spend a cold
night outside in tents, cardboard boxes or cars with a goal
to raise more than $130,000 for homeless families in DuPage
County where the average age of a homeless person is 8.

What: The 6th annual Sleep Out Saturday is organized by Bridge
Communities, a Glen Ellyn-based provider of housing and
mentoring for homeless families. It is a one-night "wake-up
call" during which lawns are transformed into homeless
shelters. The all-night event will be held in outdoor
locations throughout DuPage County and involves more than 50
groups of "sleepers."

This year's Sleep Out Saturday will kick off with an outdoor
rally in downtown Glen Ellyn from 7-8 PM, featuring live
testimonials from previous Bridge Communities
clients/homeless families.

The teens will also participate in the first FLASH MOB (a
synchronized dance performed by a large crowd) in DuPage
County during the event's early evening rally.

When: Saturday, November 7, 2008
7:00 - 8:00 PM -- Rally
8:30 PM through next morning -- Sleep Out

Where: Rally - 505 Crescent Blvd. parking lot in downtown Glen Ellyn

50+ group and individual sites throughout DuPage County,
including:

St. Peter's Church, 125 W Church St., Elmhurst
First United Methodist Church, 232 S York St., Elmhurst
Union Church, 137 S Garfield Ave., Hinsdale
First Presbyterian Church, 550 N Main St., Glen Ellyn
Camp Fire Girls, Lombard

Background: Bridge Communities is DuPage County's largest provider
(71,000 nights of housing in 2008) of transitional housing
for homeless families. The non-profit organization also
offers a network of services such as mentoring, career
coaching and counseling, job training, tutoring and
transportation.

$25.00 = 1 night of housing for a Bridge Communities family

This year's goal of $130,000 = 5,400 housing nights

SOURCE Bridge Communities

Ann Pitcher of P.S. Communications, Cell, +1-630-234-4150,
ann@pscommunicationsinc.com, for Bridge Communities