Sleep Out Saturday: DuPage Residents Fight Homelessness One Sleeping Bag At A Time

This fall, DuPage residents are no exception to the increasingly difficult burden of staying employed and out of debt with the current U.S. credit rating crisis.

Despite living in one of the wealthiest counties in Illinois, DuPage County experienced a 20 percent increase in foreclosures last year and ranked 9 out of 102 counties in number of foreclosures.

For the eighth year in a row, Bridge Communities, a not-for-profit transitional housing program, is organizing a countywide event to raise money for and awareness of homeless families in DuPage County. 

On Saturday, Nov. 5, approximately 2,000 of DuPage residents will sleep outside during “Sleep Out Saturday” to spread the message that even one “sleeper”—whether a box, a tent or a car—can make a change in the life of a DuPage family needing a place to call home.

Shirley Warfield of Glen Ellyn, a member of First Congretional Church in Wheaton, is a single mother with one son. In 2008, Warfield lost the job she’d had for nearly seven years. She and her son lived separately with family and friends while her son attended high school. Worried her son wouldn’t graduate high school and looking for some sort of home, Warfield interviewed with Bridge.

Bridge gave Warfield career support and a car. As of January 2011, Warfield has been employed full time. Her son has just finished his first year of school at CoD.

“I adore what this program does for families,” said Warfield. “I wouldn’t be here without them. They gave me hope. They give you hope for tomorrow when there is none.”

Karina Ibragimova of Wheaton has been involved in the Bridge Communities program since May 2010. She moved here from Uzbekistan two years ago with her daughter, who is now 13. Bridge gave Ibragimova a place to live and a car and helped her receive certification from College of DuPage to become a pharmacist.

Bridge is a “wonderful program,” said Ibragimova, “The employees are like my friends. They are really good people—so nice and patient.”

This year’s event will feature approximately 75 outdoor sleep-out sites in DuPage yards and parking lots, with adults and students sleeping in boxes, tents and cars.

Last year, “Sleep Out Saturday” raised over $100,000 for Bridge Communities’ programs, which serve more than 100 families annually in their transitional housing and shared-equity homeownership programs. The organization’s services also include life-skills mentoring, an auto program, financial counseling and employment training. 

With clients having an even harder time staying employed and making ends meet, Bridge Communities has increased the services it provides to them. Understanding the importance of financial support to Bridge Communities’ effort against homelessness, some participants took their fundraising to another level. 

Last year, Brittney Wells participated in the event for the first time by sleeping out in her Naperville backyard with her family. Despite the fact that Brittney was only eight years old, she raised over $1,000 for Bridge Communities on her own. “I really enjoy it and wanted to donate money to help families without a home,” she said.  “I really like to help people.”

“Sleep Out Saturday” will kick off with an outdoor rally featuring NBC5 personality Rob Stafford at 7 p.m. at 505 Crescent Boulevard in Glen Ellyn. The free rally will feature music, video, and live testimonials from Bridge Communities clients.