Sleep Out 4 Shelter A Night of Hope 4 the Homeless SLEEPOUT & HELP THE HOMELESS Benefitting:

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1 ` Sleep Out 4 Shelter A Night of Hope 4 the Homeless SLEEPOUT & HELP THE HOMELESS Benefitting: Dorchester County Community Outreach (843) hhofsummerville@gmail.com Instagram Facebook : Dorchester County

2 WHO WE ARE At Dorchester County Community Outreach, First and foremost in all that we do we seek to glorify God. We have a vision to see a community where no one is homeless. We achieve that through our mission to provide a safe environment, support services, and avenue to independence for those in a housing crisis. We believe that all people deserve the basic necessities of life, and as part of the community we live in, we serve this purpose: to treat all people with dignity, to offer support and opportunity, to practice responsible stewardship. In the fall of 2014 Mayor Bill Collins realized the ongoing problems concerning the homeless in the Summerville area. There was no organization or facility in Summerville to address the issue at this time. The Mayor formed a committee of individuals willing to help the homeless. The committee determined the primary need was for a facility to house the homeless in (our area?) the Summerville area. The Dorchester County Community Outreach, doing business as Low Country Home of Hope, a 501 (c) (3) corporation, was formed. The Home of Hope, a men's shelter, has been open since October Currently, DCCO is working to open Hope's House, a future shelter for women and children. WHAT IS SLEEP OUT 4 SHELTER Sleep Out 4 Shelter is an event organized by Dorchester County Community Outreach (DCCO). The goal of Sleep Out 4 Shelter is to challenge our community to spend one night out of their comfort zone to raise awareness and funds so we can help people who are experiencing homelessness have a comfortable place to call home. While we can never recreate the real-life experience of what it means to be truly homeless. We hope that we can bring the community together to focus on how we can see a functional end to homelessness in our area.

3 HOW IT WORKS 1. Complete the enclosed Sleep Out 4 Shelter Registration Form 2. Pick ANY night to Sleep Out 4 Shelter in March Choose the location to Sleep Out of your comfort zone ~outside, garage floor, living room floor, school gym, office, church, or your friend s couch 4. Set your fundraising goal 5. Begin to ask for monetary donations We encourage you to start with nothing to bring and set a goal that each dollar amount you raise you are able to bring an item with you to the event $5 : Blanket $10 : Pillow $25 : Pajamas/Jacket $50 : Flashlight $100 : Water & Snacks $150 : Tent $200 : Air Mattress 6. Sleep Out 4 Shelter and share your experience and sleep out selfie on social media, with friends & family: Instagram Facebook : Dorchester County Community Outreach Please use the following hashtags : #SleepOut4Shelter #Hope4thehomeless 7. Within 30 days of your event return your donations to DCCO (PO Box 2994, Summerville SC 29484) or Home of Hope (821 Central Avenue, Summerville SC ) FOR MORE INFORMATION OR QUESTIONS, so4s@dcco4homeless.org

4 GROUP REGISTRATION FORM Group Leader Name School/ Organization/ Group... Street Address.. City. State. Zip. .. Phone Number. Date of Sleep Out Challenge : MARCH.., 2018 How Many Expected Participants Location. How will you collect pledges /donations.. Please mail your donations within 30 days of your Sleep Out 4 Shelter event. Mail: In Person to Staff Member: DCCO Lowcountry Home of Hope PO Box Central Avenue Summerville SC Summerville, SC 29483

5 SUGGESTED ACTIVITES FOR SLEEP OUT 4 SHELTER Build a Shelter Competition Gather the items you have brought and create a shelter with unique items (ie rope, tarp, tape, cardboard) Make a blanket from recyclable trash Weave plastic bags and other items to keep you warm at night Eat a homeless meal Eat cold soup directly out of a can or find a local soup kitchen or homeless assistance food truck How fast can you get dressed relay Bring a lot of clothes and layer on as much as you can, as fast as you can The balancing act How many items can you hold before dropping them? (use balloons, if you don't have items) Guest speaker/former resident testimony Coordinate with DCCO to have someone come talk to you about their experiences Make blessing bags Fill a bag with everyday items and give to people in need

6 GENERAL FACTS ABOUT HOMELESSNESS Common Reasons People Experience Homelessness: 35% Loss of Job 15% Basic Expense are more than income 13% Evicted by Family Member 11% Abuse at Home 11% Incarcerated 10% Sick/ Disabled/ Mental Health Diagnosis 10% Change in Family Status 9% Substance Abuse Addiction Source : Did you know? Fact 1: Over half a million people are homeless. Fact 2: One quarter of homeless people are children. Fact 3: Tens of thousands of veterans are homeless. Fact 4: Domestic violence is a leading cause of homelessness among women. Fact 5: Many people are homeless because they cannot afford rent Fact 6: There are fewer places for poor people to rent than before. Fact 7: In the last few years millions have lost their homes. Fact 8: The government does not help as much as you think. Fact 9: One in five homeless people suffers from untreated severe mental illness. Fact 10: Cities are increasingly making homelessness a crime. Source :

7 HOMELESS POPULATION IN SOUTH CAROLINA

8 HOMELESS POPULATION IN THE LOWCOUNTRY Source :

9 HOME OF HOPE BY THE NUMBERS Open since October 2015, Home of Hope uses a relationship model, to help men who are willing and able to work to get back on their feet. Home of Hope offers counseling, encouragement, and practical help to work through the issues of being homeless. In the last six months, 56 men have lived for different lengths of time at Home of Hope. In addition, 15 came by the shelter for information or help. During the last three months, 12 men were regularly employed and saving money. Some received mental health treatment while 3 residents utilized Vocational Rehabilitation. During the day women may receive limited help at the shelter. Laundry facilities, showers, food, toiletries and other supplies are available. Since June 2017 the Home of Hope has received (some?) walk-ins and numerous phone calls from women in need. DCCO is working towards opening a women's shelter in the future. SUGGESTED WAYS TO ASK FOR DONATIONS I am participating in an event called Sleep Out 4 Shelter, in an effort to raise awareness about people who are experiencing homelessness. For one night on I will be sleeping out of my comfort zone at. I am raising awareness and funds for Summerville s local shelter, Home of Hope and the Dorchester Country Community Outreach. Would you be willing to make a donation to help those experiencing homelessness in the Summerville area? Please help me, help the homeless. Sleep Out For Shelter is a night designated to raise awareness of the homeless in our community. DISCLAIMER This event is meant to raise awareness about what a person experiencing homelessness on any given night. DCCO is not responsible for any activities at your hosted event. We encourage everyone to have a safe, responsible, educational, and fun night!

10 Sleep Out 4 Shelter Participants Name... A Night of Hope for the Homeless Group Name... Sleep Out & Help the Homeless Date of Sleep Out March 2018 SLEEP OUT 4 SHELTER PLEDGE FORM Name of Donor Address Phone Amount Donated Collected Please make checks payable to: Dorchester County Community Outreach

11 Sleep Out 4 Shelter Participants Name... A Night of Hope for the Homeless Group Name... Sleep Out & Help the Homeless Date of Sleep Out March 2018 SLEEP OUT 4 SHELTER GROUP LEADER FORM Name of Participant Address Phone Amount Collected Turned In Please make checks payable to: Dorchester County Community Outreach