Night Without a Bed 2023
October 21
WHAT IS NIGHT WITHOUT A BED?
Night Without A Bed is a social media challenge to raise awareness about family homelessness. Participants are asked to spend one night sleeping anywhere outside of their bed to support Family Promise.
More than 2.5 million children experience homelessness in the United States each year. One in 19 will experience homelessness before they enter the first grade and 51% of children experiencing homelessness are under the age of six.
Homelessness often looks different for families experiencing a housing crisis; sometimes a family may sleep in their car, stay in a hotel for a while, or stay at a campground for an extended period. Sometimes a family may stay in a shelter program, such as Family Promise, to help their family regain stability.
Not every family without a home has lost it for the same reason. Sometimes an adult loses their job and can’t find a new one fast enough or someone in the family gets really sick, and they can no longer work anymore. Each family has their own story of home loss and not everyone wants to talk about it.
To many people, homelessness is people on the street or sleeping on a parking bench. But family homelessness is an invisible crisis that is often hidden from our view. This invisibility is a problem that impacts not only how we see the crisis but how we address family homelessness. That is why, on October 21, 2023, we’re asking you to join us in raising awareness by spending the Night Without A Bed.
WHO SHOULD PARTICIPATE?
Families, children, and Family Promise volunteers!
HOW TO PARTICIPATE:
- Spend the night without the comforts of your bed. We ask participants to sleep anywhere without a bed: car, tent, or a living room floor, so they can put themselves in the shoes of children and families experiencing homelessness.
- Snap a photo to share with friends and family. Post a photo or video to social media using #NightWithoutABed2023.
- Share your experience and why you choose to raise awareness of the invisible crisis of family homelessness.
In the run-up to the event, participants may also challenge a friend to make the choice of participating in #NightWithoutABed2023 or making a donation to Family Promise.