Plan your sleep in experience
The sleep in experience is the indoor alternative to sleeping outside. It’s designed to bring families together to explore some of the ways that our neighbors experience homelessness and raise funds to support them.
Who
This activity is perfect for families, friends and neighbors in your social “bubble.” Think of who you might turn to if you were experiencing homelessness and needed to double up — invite that person/family to join you.
When
We encourage everyone who is sleeping out (or in) to schedule it for Saturday, Nov. 14. Sleep outs (and ins) will occur all over town on this one night, and yours will be part of the excitement of the larger community movement.
If, however, you have schedule conflicts that night, pick any date from Nov. 1 to Dec. 31, preferably a Friday or Saturday night to accommodate work and school schedules.
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- Set a date.
- Once you’ve decided to sleep in, let us know by contacting Sarah Williams at swilliams@iocp.org or 763-489-7515. We’ll make sure to add a star to the Sleep Out night sky for you!
- Share your intention to raise funds and awareness on social media, and inspire others to do the same! Consider creating an online fundraiser.
- If you want to incorporate an “at home” service project as part of your sleep in, read instructions and purchase supplies ahead of time. Options include: creating healthy snack packs for kids, repacking pet food, repacking laundry soap or making fleece blankets.
- Determine sleeping arrangements: Who will sleep on the floor? On the couch? Is there room for everybody, or does someone need to sleep in their car for the night?
- Consider turning the heat down to 58 degrees and use flashlights instead of lights during your Sleep In to help you not take your heat or lighting for granted. Reducing heat and electricity is one way people experiencing poverty try to lower their utility bills during the cold Minnesota winters.
- Download the Sparking Compassion guide for stories and conversation prompts to facilitate empathy-building discussions with your group.
- Make a list of your day’s top 10 concerns. As you read the stories in the guide (link above), think about what the adults’ top 10 concerns might be.
- Download the Budgeting through Poverty activity that explores the challenges many neighbors face in making the monthly math work.
- The following morning, reflect on the experience and how it may have differed from your typical routine. Go online together to make a one-time gift to the Sleep Out or a monthly/recurring gift to support local families experiencing poverty .
- Share your experience on social media — tag Interfaith Outreach & Community Partners and use these hashtags: #SleepOut25years and #BeLikeBobChallenge
Spark meaningful conversations during your Sleep In
Sparking Compassion guide (pdf)
View and download this guide before your Sleep In (or Sleep Out)! It offers real stories that were generously shared by former program participants of Interfaith Outreach, as well as thought-provoking questions that we hope will help us all tap into the transformative power of our collective compassion.
Suggestions for setting your one-time or recurring donation:
- Did you turn off your cable during your Sleep In experience? If so, consider donating $264 to the Sleep Out, the average amount of a utility assist for a struggling family.
- What would a normal movie night with a family dinner at a restaurant, a movie and snacks cost? Consider donating that to the Sleep Out instead. For a family of four, one movie night can be $120.
- Did you choose to turn down your heat for one night representing a utility being shut off? Consider donating the amount you would save on heat if that were your daily choice.
For more information on the 25th Anniversary Sleep Out, view/download our Sleep Out “toolkit” or visit our Sleep Out website.