Local teens spend night outside to raise awareness of youth homelessness

Teens from Community Youth in Action are stepping out of their homes, and comfort zones, to sleep outside Friday night. It’s part of the nationwide event, Sleep Out America.

“Sleep Out America is not about pretending to be homeless. It is about spending one evening out in the cold enough to create an understanding and empathy for those who are homeless,” said Becky Leatham, the program director for C’YA.

Those involved will have the choice to sleep in a tent, a box, an abandoned building or a car (as long as they give the keys to a chaperone).

According to Sleep Out America, 4.2 million young people will find themselves without a safe, stable place to sleep this year alone.

“Homeless shelters don’t just need help during this time of year, but all times of the year,” said Serena Harris, a teen participating in Sleep-Out America. “Being able to just be there for our friends and our community, because we are all one community and we’re all one place in Idaho Falls.”

For Harris, she got involved because she had heard of friends and others at school who have experienced homelessness.

“Some of my friends and some of my teachers talk about it all the time,” Harris said. “Teachers would ask the kids, ‘Why haven’t you turned this assignment in online yet?’ They tell them that they have been sleeping in their car because their parents kicked them out of the house for things that they did or things that they just didn’t agree on their parents with.”

To get a better understanding of what the homeless go through, Harris visited shelters.

“(Many) homeless shelters here in Idaho only allow people above the age of 18 and older,” Harris said. “So teens have to go sleep outside until they’re 18 or older.”

Her experience thus far, and what she imagines she will go through Friday night, has brought her a better understanding of what people have to go through on a daily basis.

“If we can do this, we can all bring awareness to the people that are also sleeping outside and lend a hand,” Harris said.

This also serves as a fundraiser for Community Youth in Action. People can make donations or pledge an hourly amount to the participants for each hour they sleep in the cold.

To make a donation, you can contact Leatham at (208) 521-5328 or reach out to the youth group’s Facebook page.

To raise essential funds for Sleep Out America click HERE.