On a rainy November night, Leslie Fatz and her husband chose to forgo their beds to sleep under an awning outside.
Their night was part of the national Sleep Out, which raises money for Covenant House emergency youth shelters. Over 4.2 million young people face homelessness each year in the United States.
Fatz saw the closest event was in Atlanta, and decided to bring it to Chattanooga. The pair raised more than $300, which will help fund first-night shelter stays. Nationwide, the Sleep Out raised nearly $14 million this year, Fatz said.
“It was eye-opening,” she said of her night sleeping outside. “We weren’t trying to replicate homelessness or anything like that. It’s just a way to raise awareness, and just a show of solidarity, more than anything.”
Now, Fatz is gathering interest from people and groups interested in participating next year. To get in touch, reach out to her at miss_hgl@yahoo.com.
Leslie Fatz