Sleep Out ICT

"Just because a person does not have an address, it doesn't mean they aren't our neighbor." - Terence Lester

There are approximately 600 homeless people in Wichita on any given night and 16 percent of people (62,000) live below the federal poverty line—vs the national average of 13 percent(2). Life for those with a home isn't always easy, with only 41 affordable homes available for every 100 extremely low-income (ELI) households in the state of Kansas. Of those 41 households, 70 percent are “extremely cost-burdened,” meaning they spend more than half of their income on housing(3).

Being homeless means so much more than not having a place to sleep—it often makes job placement, health and social care, and civic engagement inaccessible. This compounds the problem, leaving people experiencing poverty in a hard-to-break cycle. 

HumanKind has worked for more than 135 years to address these issues, providing shelter to more than 1,100 individuals and other basic needs to more than 14,000 in 2020 alone. That's why events like Sleep Out ICT are so important in raising compassion, awareness, and funds to support homeless services right here in Wichita. All event proceeds directly support HumanKind's work serving our region's most vulnerable residents.

2. The Census Bureau ACS 5-year estimate, 2018 | 3. NLIHC tabulations of 2018 ACS PUMS

Thank you for registering for Sleep Out ICT 2021! Your registration is a direct donation to support HumanKind's work serving our region's most vulnerable residents.  We want to make your fundraising as easy as possible so we'll be sending you tips and tricks along the way (you'll also receive useful emails from GoFundMe Charity) but to get started, follow these three simple guidelines:

1. Set a goal. Your supporters are more likely to help you reach your goal if they know what it is.

2. Customize your fundraising page. This is your Sleep Out, so your fundraising page should reflect you. 

3. Share. Share your fundraising link and let people know why Sleep Out is important to you.

HumanKind T-shirts and Event Boxes will be available for pick up from the HumanKind Admin Office closer to the event.

On Saturday, April 17 we invite you to join us for a brief online entertainment program to kick off your big Sleep Out (or in). More details coming soon!

We want your night to be fun and worry-free, so if at any point you need assistance or have questions that aren't answered on this site, feel free to get in touch with our Volunteer and Events Manager, Arielle Steck at arielle@humankindwichita.org  or (316) 264-9303.

FAQs

What makes Sleep Out ICT a virtual fundraiser? How is that different from a regular fundraiser?

 Sleep Out ICT is a virtual fundraising event. That means there is no set location for the event and no large-scale group sleep out, but there are still plenty of ways to build camaraderie:

1. Use your fundraising pages to create online teams and fundraise together, even if you can’t be together.

2. Plant a Sleep Out yard sign to demonstrate your solidarity with your homeless neighbors.

3. Watch and interact with HumanKind’s Facebook Live on Saturday, April 17 as we bring you family entertainment and inspiration.

4. Share pictures and videos of your Sleep Out on social media using the hashtag #SleepOutICT.

What does the money raised support?

All event proceeds will directly support our shelters, including costs associated with providing meals, medical care, workforce development, case management, and more for homeless individuals and families.

What do I actually have to do and how do I raise money?

Your task is to sleep somewhere other than your bed for one night, on Saturday, April 17. It should first and foremost be a safe place, and you might want to choose somewhere challenging enough that people will sponsor you to sleep there. For families with kids that might be in a fort in the living room, or a tent in the backyard while adults might choose the garage.

Once you have decided where you will be sleeping, include it on your fundraising page and share the link far and wide. Your supporters can easily donate via your fundraising page and you can capture any offline donations there too.

Do I have to sleep outside?

No. Your challenge is to give up your bed for one night. Where you sleep should first and foremost be a safe place. 

Is Sleep Out ICT appropriate for children?

Yes. Sleep Out ICT is a great way to teach children about compassion and make them aware of local social issues without overwhelming or scaring them. As long as you choose a safe and appropriate place for them to sleep, Sleep Out ICT is appropriate for children. All content and entertainment will be child-appropriate and educational. 

How do I fundraise as a team? I can't see a "team" ticket?

To fundraise as a team, your team members should each register as individuals then create or join a team during the checkout process. We recommend you create your team when you first register as it is not possible for an individual to create a team once registration has been completed.

How do I get to my fundraising page?

After you have registered you will receive an email from GoFundMe Charity with a link to your fundraising page. There you can customize your page and the emails that your sponsors receive.

What is the relevance of GoFundMe? And why am I getting emails from GoFundMe as well as HumanKind?

GoFundMe Charity powers the Sleep Out ICT fundraising website. GoFundMe will also send you emails throughout the campaign that are separate from HumanKind's emails, including a link to your personal fundraising page. These emails can contain important information about your campaign so be sure to keep an eye out for them.  You also have an option to tip GoFundMe during the checkout process. Tipping GoFundMe is optional so be sure to change the amount to $0 if you don't want to do this.

If someone donates to my campaign outside of my website will that donation count toward my total?

Yes, this is called an offline donation. To add an offline donation sign in to your GoFundMe account (you'll be prompted to create one after you've registered). Click your initials in the top right corner of the screen and choose "Campaigns." Click the three dots in the bottom right corner of your campaign tile and choose "Manage." From there you can add an offline donation.

My company will match my donation—how do I capture that as part of my total?

To make sure any company matches count toward both your personal fundraising total and HumanKind's total raised, you will need to add your company match amount as an offline donation. Please see the FAQ above for how to do that. 

What's in an Event Box and how do I get one?

Sleep Out Event Boxes are included in the cost of a family ticket. They can also be purchased on the Registration/Fundraise page for $25. Each Event Box will contain a Sleep Out yard sign and activities and treats to educate and entertain you during your Sleep Out. They include an educational scavenger hunt, activities from Great Plains Nature Center and Exploration Place, a fun budgeting exercise with candy money, a HumanKind flashlight, and more surprises to come! All activities will help educate about the needs of our homeless neighbors. Event Boxes will be available to pick up from the HumanKind Admin Office.

How do I get a HumanKind T-shirt?

Everyone who registers for Sleep Out ICT will receive a HumanKind T-shirt and families will receive four T-shirts.  Additional T-shirts are available to purchase on the Registration/Fundraise page for $10.  They will be available to pick up from the HumanKind Admin Office.

How do I get a Sleep Out ICT yard sign?

Sleep Out yard signs are included in Event Boxes. They are also available for purchase on the Registration/Fundraise page for $10. Yard signs will be delivered to your home in advance of the event,

For information about other corporate partnership opportunities, please visit www.HumanKindWichita.org/2021 or contact Greer Horning at greer@humankindwichita.org.

Let’s face it, teaching kids about homelessness sounds anything but fun. Talking about social class in general is uncomfortable but it’s important, and it’s not happening enough. According to a survey of more than 6,000 parents, conducted by Sesame Workshop and NORC at the University of Chicago, the majority of parents rarely discuss class or other categories of social identity with their kids.

Teachers agree that answering these questions (or not answering them) can have a significant impact on children. 40 percent say social class has a major impact on children’s ability to succeed in life, but just 19 percent say they talk with their students about it often or sometimes. Of the six social and demographic identities included in the survey (race/ethnicity, social class, gender, country of origin, family make-up and religion), teachers are least comfortable when discussing social class.3

Talking to Kids About Homelessness Helps Develop Empathy

Not only is discussion about these issues important to a child’s individual development and success, but it also has huge implications on the world around them. Opening our children’s eyes to people’s differences leads to empathetic children. In her book “UnSelfie: Why Empathetic Kids Succeed in Our All-About-Me World,” Michelle Borba, Ed.D. explains the importance of empathetic children:

“Empathy is what lays the foundation for helping children live one essential truth: We are all humans who share the same fears and concerns, and deserve to be treated with dignity.”1

According to Goodstart—Australia's largest early learning provider—children with a strong sense of empathy are also said to build security and stronger relationships with other children and educators, be better positioned for learning and more tolerant and accepting of others, have better mental health, and promote social harmony. And empathetic children turn into empathetic adults who are reported to have, among other things, higher levels of overall happiness and more satisfying relationships.

Talking to kids about social issues, including homelessness, is hard but it doesn’t have to be. And there is a danger that not doing it can make things harder, as children begin to form their own implicit biases. Sesame Workshop argues that conversation is key.

Whether you are looking for ways to teach your kids about homelessness or you’ve never given it any thought before, there is no better time than right now. Read on for our tips for navigating these new conversations.

What to Remember When Talking to Kids About Homelessness

1. Honor Their Curiosity

When talking to your kids about homelessness, however much you plan it, the chances are your children will drive the conversation. Their naturally enquiring minds will wander into places that your script might not cover—that’s ok. Their curiosity is a vehicle for learning and it might help someone. Just remember that their questions come from a place of genuine intrigue, not judgment, so don’t dismiss a question because it isn’t what you were expecting or you don’t have the answers.

2. Be Honest

Depending on your children’s ages, you might not feel ready to dive into (or expect them to understand) all the complexities of homelessness and you will need to judge how much you share without frightening them, but you can still speak truthfully. Author and child development and behavior specialist, Betsy Brown Braun advises you explain that “Homelessness is not a crime; it is a problem. In your answers and attitude, you will be modeling the empathy on which our society depends.”5

For younger children, Brown Braun advises using simple answers. It’s important to at least explain that a homeless person doesn’t always have a place to sleep, to eat, to go to the bathroom, or to keep their belongings.5 Explain that people become homeless for lots of different reasons; sometimes they are sick and can’t look after themselves properly, they might not have money, or they might not have people in their life to help them. Author and child development and behavior specialist,

If you are talking to older children, Brown Braun advises you find out what your child already understands about homelessness and poverty, correct any misinformation they have and turn their “Why?” questions around to “Why do you think?” questions.5

Above all, and regardless of their age, explain to them that a homeless person is still a person who needs (and deserves) love and kindness just as much as anyone else.

It’s also okay not to have all the answers. If you don’t know the answer to something, tell your kids that, and commit to finding out the answers together.

3. Check Your Own Biases

In the spirit of honesty, let’s just say it: talking to kids about social issues can be scary because of what we might learn about ourselves, and how our own privilege has created biases. Yikes.

Children notice differences by themselves from as young as six months. They also form opinions about those differences at a young age – but they don’t do that by themselves, so Brown Braun advises us to “be aware of the attitude you may be projecting.” As you talk to your children about homelessness, note if you find yourself leaning toward anything other than compassion. If you hear yourself generalizing homeless people or labelling them with your own misconceptions, take a moment for reflection and reconsider. If you hear yourself talking about blame or choice, reconsider. When you find these biases, don’t ignore them but instead lean into them and think about what they might be rooted in. Next, commit to doing the work to unlearn.

It’s also important to be honest about the privileges your children have. To be clear, the intention is not to make children feel guilty. Toxic positivity—the idea that “things could be so much worse”—is not the aim here! Gratitude and guilt are very different things and empathy for those who have less than us is only possible when we have gratitude for what we have in the first place.

4. Don’t Stop Talking When the Conversation Stops

Being the curious creatures they are, children are likely to come away from your conversations with more questions than they had before. Again, that’s okay. Taking their own time to process information and come up with questions shows critical thinking.  As well as questions, encourage your kids to explore what feelings have come up since you talked. Are they scared or worried? Do they want to see and learn more?

“Make a commitment as a family to either talking, doing or learning about social issues on a regular basis.”

To have the most lasting effect, turn your conversation into action and make a commitment as a family to either talking, doing or learning about social issues on a regular basis. Homeless services often rely on volunteers and advocates so find out what opportunities there are for families to get involved in your city. Use holidays and birthdays as opportunities to check in on how much “stuff” you have versus what you need, and make sure your story book collections are diverse in representation, opinion and subject matter.

Sleep Out with Us

The commitment to teaching kids about homelessness and other social issues is a big one, but with big commitment comes big results. If you still don’t know where to start, we’re here to help. Sleep Out ICT is an event designed for families who want to start these conversations. Join us on Saturday, April 17 from your own home as we create a fun, safe space to start these conversations. Not only that, but you’ll also practice empathy by giving up your beds for one night and raise awareness, compassion and funds for Wichita’s homeless population and HumanKind’s homeless services. For more details and to register, visit SleepOutICT.org.

HumanKind also offers campus tours to show the side of homelessness not always seen by the public, and to show them where their donation dollars go. To arrange one for your family, contact HumanKind Development Director Greer Horning at greer@humankindwichita.org or on 316-264-93030 Ext 115.

You can also visit HumanKindWichita.org/volunteer to find out about volunteer opportunities at HumanKind. We’d love to hear from you.

1. Michelle Borba, Ed. D.