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, 1240 26thAve. Ct. SW in Cedar Rapids.
- 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.