Covenant House hosts annual Sleep Out to end youth homelessness

CHICAGO (WLS) -- The Covenant House Illinois is joining chapters across the country as they participate in the annual Sleep Out Thursday night.

The event brings together professionals in the community to raise funds and gather in solidarity to sleep outside for one evening in an effort to end youth homelessness.

The event kicks off at 7 p.m. at St. James Plaza. Participants will be given sleeping bags and cardboard boxes before finding their sleeping spot for the night.

Organizers said the Chicago Sleep Out raised $410,000 in the past two years and hope to raise at least $300,000 this year.

The Covenant House Illinois is a youth homeless shelter that opened its door in Chicago in February 2017. It was a big initiative to support the 3,000 displaced youth between the ages on 18-24 in the city.

The shelter located at 30 W. Chicago in Near North is one of 33 chapters in cities across the U.S., Canada and Latin America.

For more information, visit https://www.covenanthouse.org/sleepout.