Lakewood UCC Youth to Spend Night Outside For Homeless Awareness

Each January, Youth from Lakewood Congregational Church (LCC) spend a cold Saturday night outside the church at 1375 West Clifton Blvd. to raise funds in support of local homeless support organizations. This year’s Homeless Awareness Sleep-Out, (HASO), on Jan. 19, marks the 15th year the church Youth have participated in this event. Over the past 15 years, the kids have collected $45,000 of your generosity. Please help continue this great outreach to those in need.

HASO is one of the Youth Group’s cornerstone ministries. It’s designed to call attention to the plight and struggle of Northeast Ohio’s homeless community and raise much-needed funds for several area homeless support agencies: Northeast Ohio Coalition for the Homeless, Y-Haven and Homeless Stand Down.

Ranging from ages 11 to 18 years old, (grades 6-12), LCC Youth will gather at the church on the northeast corner of West Clifton Boulevard and Detroit Avenue, on Jan. 19 around 4:30 p.m. to start constructing their box shelters – the only source of shelter they will have until late Sunday morning.

Around 6:30 p.m., they’ll head outside and spend the evening in front of the church along Detroit Avenue collecting donations from passersby until 11 p.m. Hot soup will be available for them to eat later in the evening. Parent chaperones will rouse the Youth from their box shelters by 6 a.m. on Sunday to resume collections. The group will share the evening’s experiences and reflections on the event during LCC’s 10 a.m. worship service.

At LCC, Youth will collect onsite donations of cash and checks (made out to Lakewood Congregational Church, subject line: HASO.) The church also accepts online donations at http://lcc-church.org/donate-now/. Donors simply can click the “Donate” button and indicate in the memo area that the donation is for HASO. They also can indicate which of the Youth participants they are supporting with their pledge, if they wish.

For more information about Lakewood Congregational Church Homeless Awareness Sleep-Out, contact the LCC office at 216.221.9555. Visit the church website at www.lcc-church.org to find out more about LCC.

For more information about past recipients of collected funds:

• Homeless Stand Down: https://www.handsonneo.org/Hom...
• Y Haven: https://www.clevelandymca.org/...
• Northeast Ohio Coalition for the Homeless: https://www.neoch.org/
• Family Promise of Greater Cleveland: https://familypromisecle.org/