Sleep Out raises $20,000 for nine emergency shelters

Linn County's 6th annual Sleep Out for the Homeless raised $20,000 for area programs that provide emergency shelter and transitional housing for the homeless. Organizers of the annual Sleep Out will present checks from the money raised by the 2011 Sleep Out to nine local programs on Wednesday, February 29 at 10 a.m. at the Community Services Building of Linn County.

“The number of homeless persons served by local shelters and transitional housing programs continues to increase,” said Ann Hearn, Deputy Director of Community Planning. “The Sleep Out directly supports the homeless shelters, emergency lodging programs and transitional housing programs that serve the homeless. We are grateful to everyone who braved the cold last November, and we thank everyone who made a donation.”

The following programs will receive a check from the money raised by the 2011 Sleep Out:

Catherine McAuley Center

Catholic Worker House

Cedar House Shelter

Foundation 2 Youth Shelter

HACAP Transitional Housing

Mission of Hope

Salvation Army Emergency Lodging Program

Waypoint Services Madge Philips Center

Willis Dady Emergency Shelter

The Sleep Out was sponsored by Linn County Veteran Affairs, Community Circle of Care and First Presbyterian Church and was held in Greene Square Park on Saturday, November 12, 2011. Approximately 364 community members participated in the event, including 194 who spent the night outside in cardboard boxes.

Following the check presentation, the Sleep Out planning committee will announce details for the 2012 Sleep Out, which includes a new location due to the growth in the number of people participating.

The annual Linn County Homeless Data Summary Report compiled by the Linn County Local Homeless Coordinating Board shows the number of homeless persons served by Linn County emergency shelters and transitional housing programs has increased almost 30 percent over the last two years. Of the 5,802 persons served by local homeless assistance programs in FY11, half (50%) were children.

For more information, call (319) 892-5609.