Sleep Out Saturday 2026 - Lights Out for Homelessness
Join us for Sleep Out Saturday 2026! It will be a meaningful, empathy-building night that will make a real difference for the 100+ families served this year by Bridge Communities.
If you want to make a difference today, join us for Sleep Out Saturday!
This fall, hundreds of DuPage County community residents will brave a night inside tents, boxes and cars to raise awareness about family homelessness and funds for Bridge Communities' Transitional Housing Program. Join other community members as we rally around the 100+ families served by Bridge Communities, to show support while they work hard to transform their lives.
Check out this video to see how your sleep out can change lives! Video sponsored by Wintrust.
Our 23rd annual event will be on Saturday, November 7--but participants can select any night between October 24 through November 21 to participate!
Please read our Q&A below to learn how you and your group can participate in Sleep Out Saturday and help 100+ families reach a better future this year.
Q. Are we supposed to participate together as a group?
A. You may participate from your own home independently or in a group. We welcome all kinds of sleep outs from individuals, families, and community groups!
Q. How can we learn more about family homelessness while we sleep out?
A. Our 2026 SOS Toolkit includes information, learning activities, and resources about family homelessness. It also has tips to help you have a safe, impactful event, whether you're in a group or remote. Don't miss our Sleep Out Saturday Kickoff Rally to feel even more connected to the cause!
Q. Where should we sleep out?
A. You can sleep outside safely in your backyard, driveway, or in cars. You can even hold a meaningful SOS event inside your home. Our SOS Toolkit shares how. It's all about creating a sleep out experience that's right for you!
Start Your Sleep Out the Right Way at Our Kickoff Rally!
You won't want to miss our Sleep Out Kickoff Rally at 6:30 p.m. on Saturday, November 7 at College of DuPage's Lakeside Pavillion. This rally is the perfect way to fuel up and get connected to the cause before you sleep out! The Rally will feature:
- Live entertainment from School of Rock Glen Ellyn
- The moving story of a Bridge client speaker
- Delicious soup and bread provided by the COD Culinary Arts students
- Games
- Prizes and giveaways
- And more!
No matter where you plan to sleep out, make sure you join the Rally at COD this year to fuel up and get ready for your sleep out!
Special thank you to College of DuPage for helping make this Rally possible!
For more information or questions, please email events@bridgecommunities.org.
Sleep Out Saturday Newsroom
Learn more about homelessness and poverty in DuPage County Illinois by visiting our Sleep Out Saturday newsroom. You'll learn more about how Sleep Out Saturday is making an impact on the transitional housing services provided by Bridge Communities. You can help families in need in your community by participating in Sleep Out Saturday.
Sleep Out Saturday Stories
Sleep Out Saturday is an immersive experience that allows participants to actively gain empathy and affect positive change for families experiencing homelessness.
The event provides participants with a forum to learn the causes of family homelessness and provides an opportunity to sleep in similar accommodations that Bridge families have experienced. Participants share their thoughts about their physical and emotional experience of sleeping outside with little or no shelter or inside doubled up with no bed or home of their own.
Become a Sponsor
Join the Sleep Out Saturday movement as a sponsor and take action against the growing family homelessness crisis right here in our own community. See what reach and benefits our organizations receive when they sponsor Sleep Out Saturday by checking out our Impact Report.
