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Sleeping outside in solidarity of the homeless

50,000 people around the world slept outside in solidarity of those who have no choice but to do so every night. This is The World's Big Sleep Out.

The World’s Biggest Sleep Out

Sleeping in the streets by choice in solidarity with homeless people. That’s what thousands of people from across the world did in The World’s Big Sleep Out. 50,000 people in over 50 cities, 52 countries were said to take part in the campaign to raise awareness for homeless and displaced people around the world. After the successes of his “Sleep Outs” in his home country of Scotland. The Institute for Global Homelessness (IGH) is a major partner of The World’s Biggest Sleep Out, along with UNICEF USA, the Malala Fund and Social Bite.

Celebrity Participation

Celebrities joined in to read bedtime stories like Will Smith and British actress Helen Mirren. Mayor of London Sadiq Khan, presenter and model Lisa Snowdon, six-time Olympic champion Sir Chris Hoy, ITV News Presenter Julie Etchingham, singer Jamelia, author Giovanna Fletcher, Senior fire officer Dr Sabrina Cohen-Hatton and TV and radio presenters Kate Garraway, Cherry Healey, Angela Scanlon and Anita Rani were all set to take part.

Started in Scotland

According to Josh Littlejohn the weekend's World's Big Sleep Out would fund 100 charities. The money from previous years has been used to fund 831 flats across Scotland for homeless people as well as the Social Bite Village in north Edinburgh. Heading the campaign is Josh Littlejohn who opened up a sandwich shop called Social Bite in 2012 where he offered free food, hot drinks, and jobs to homeless people. The first sleep-out took place in 2016, where 270 people slept in an Edinburgh park. Since then, Littlejohn has gone on to advocate for ending homelessness on a global scale and hoped to raise $50 million with the 2019 sleep-out campaign.

Brut.

12/12/2019 10:57 PMupdated: 12/16/2019 4:23 PM
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184 comments

  • Carmen S.
    2 days

    Amen Amen to Amen

  • Hann S.
    2 days

    Tf does that help!?! Maybe each person give 10 dollars then we will talk.

  • Eddie F.
    2 days

    I would like to do this

  • Linda V.
    3 days

    would it not make more sence to bring them in your house in protest

  • Jason D.
    3 days

    Then they spent tons of money to have starbucks brought to them and warm food and went and bought brand new expensive sleeping bags and gear while they brought awareness to homeless ..imagine if 50.000 people woulda put all that money into say actually buying the homeless gear ...or maybe drove around delivering sleeping bags to 50.000 homeless people ......some peoples children i swear

  • Sandra R.
    3 days

    Have a war in ur country where u are being displaced and the only choice is to sleep outside in an another man’s country seeking refuge. So different than just trying to put ur foot in another man’s shoes. Hope they do something to help the homeless.

  • TonyA L.
    3 days

    Why dont those people just let the homeless stay with them in their warm houses???

  • Tonya S.
    3 days

    And how does this help the homeless??????

  • Barbie J.
    3 days

    This has no comparison.

  • Ashley F.
    4 days

    We need the homeless to be WILLING to change their lives. They need drug and alchohol detox and a trade training program to get them back into working society. The problem is not that we dont see the squalor, Look at California streets. They SEE it ehat the issue is...the homless don't want to change. They don't want to give up their drugs. We need to get them into care and the unwilling into jail. Clean up our squalor.

  • Tripp B.
    4 days

    I do this like everyday in the summer tf

  • Lorrie W.
    4 days

    Everyone saying this doesn't help & that the people taking part will just go back to their normal lives blah blah blah but what you don't see is how it changes a person's point of view of the homeless. One night maybe all that's needed to change the mind of someone who never thought of the homeless as anything more then a fixture on the landscape of their lives.

  • Christy B.
    4 days

    I do know what it is like to be homeless, cold, hungry, wet, sick and people look at you like don't touch me. You can walk in a restaurant and ask for a small hamburger you get this look and how are you going to pay. Believe me it SUCKS

  • Roberto A.
    5 days

    the next morning...”ok guys, well done!, now let’s go to our homes”

  • Kyle H.
    5 days

    Why did those 50,000 people just let the homeless people come stay with them for a night

  • Keith D.
    5 days

    But what did it actually do for those that have no choice but to sleep outside?

  • Kelene D.
    6 days

    More shelters that feel like home and safe

  • Aquiles D.
    7 days

    Su forma de pensar Los tiene ahi, pq he visto gente sin manos trabajando con sus pies para ganarse El pan de cada dia pq su forma de pensar es diferente..

  • Cookie O.
    7 days

    Not only people that are on drugs on the only people that drinking is the kind of pain they got to pay for rent some people cannot afford that kind of rent that's the reason why they have to go in the street and live onus that's a crying shame because we are in America and you somebody's got to be helping these people so they don't have to live in the street anymore.😥😥😥

  • Lisa G.
    02/10/2020 06:11

    People are homeless for many different reasons instead of sleeping out side why not volunteer in your given community or donate if you're able probably much more appreciated. Can you imagine what 50 thousand people could do. If I were homeless I'd be like what the hell is wrong with these people, I'll go sleep in your house if you're sleeping in mine.