A sleepout fundraiser in support of those experiencing homelessness hosted students, CEOs, and community members. 

The Downtown Biz hosted the event for six years as the CEO Sleepout but generously passed on the reigns to Siloam Mission. 

"They offered us to take over it fully in support of Siloam Mission so we jumped at the chance but we wanted to open it up beyond just CEOs. We decided to call it the Siloam Sleepout to make it clear that anyone would be welcome to participate and fundraise on behalf of Siloam," Luke Thiessen, Communications Manager for Siloam Mission says. 

"We had just over 60 registrants and great participants. Some were definitely CEOs and business leaders, some even past participants in the CEO sleepout, but most were new to the event. We had students, some young people, and front line staff workers from Siloam, it felt like a wonderful mixed family affair," Thiessen says.

"If they slept at all, it was in a sleeping bag on a concrete floor."

The event was originally scheduled to take place at the True North Square, but due to the unexpected heavy rainfall on the day of the event, Thursday, September 26, it was moved to the Siloam Mission 300 Princess Street location. 

"The forecast looked pretty treacherous. We could have dealt with a little bit of drizzle and some light rain at some point but with that amount, it would have really hindered our programming," Thiessen says.

Participants experienced a blanket exercise – an educational activity about the history of colonization in Canada – and a panel discussion about the challenges and root causes of homelessness in Winnipeg. After midnight, participants went on walking tours with the Bear Clan Patrol and the Downtown Winnipeg BIZ’s CHAT (Community Homeless Assistance Team).

"If they slept at all, it was in a sleeping bag on a concrete floor, 

"Morale was great. It kinda felt like a rainy day at summer camp, a little crowded, but everybody having a good time because you're all there for the same reason," Thiessen says.

"We by far beat our goal."

According to Thiessen, the programming was the most important part. "We heard a lot of really great conversations happening around what people could do on an individual basis to raise awareness and to fight homelessness.

"We had a lot of people telling their own personal stories of family members and people they knew that had experienced homelessness. We by far beat our goal, we were hoping for $30,000 and this morning we had just cracked $40,000," Thiessen says.

The goal of the event was to raise funds and educate people to try and make a difference in how they view homelessness and what they can do to help. It was a success.

"We hope that because of how great the event was this year, we will be able to do bigger and better next year," Thiessen says. 

They hope to engage children in the coming years. "We would like to make that a reality for next year and maybe have schools, churches, and youth groups host their own versions at the same time so that we can have simultaneous sleepouts happening all over Winnipeg," Thiessen says.