Sleep Out: A Global Movement to End Youth Homelessness

Give up your bed for one night to ensure that youth facing homelessness can sleep safely at Covenant House.

Find a Sleep Out

Step 1

Find an Event or Start Your Own

Give up your bed for one night to support Covenant House.

Covenant House Sleep Out volunteers in sleeping bags | Raising funds and awareness for homeless youth

Find an Event

Sleep Out events are hosted by Covenant House sites across North and Central America. Participants join together for a night of conversation, contemplation, education, and story sharing.

Find a Sleep Out Near You

Covenant House Sleep Out volunteers with big art poster saying "Shelter Is Just The Beginning" | Raising funds and awareness for homeless youth

Start Your Own Event

Create your own Sleep Out, anywhere, anytime! Join together with your family, friends, places of worship, or your workplace to raise funds and awareness in your community.

Start Your Own Sleep Out

Step 2

Fundraise

Fundraise and Spread Awareness

Funds raised by Sleep Out help Covenant House provide 24/7 care for youth experiencing homelessness. The awareness raised by participants helps to shed light on the youth homelessness crisis.

See Our Fundraising Tools

“Find the good in the world and amplify it in the most genuine and authentic way you can. If we could all accomplish this goal, just think of what we could do together!”

Sleep Out

The Sleep Out Experience

Sleep Out includes opportunities to learn from experts, hear inspiring stories, and advocate for a future where everyone has a safe place to sleep. Prior to Sleep Out, you will receive emails from your event coordinator with the schedule, venue, and list of what you need to bring with you. If you are creating your own event, a Sleep Out coach can talk you through how to plan a meaningful evening.

Covenant House Sleep Out volunteers on top of sleeping bags | Raising funds and awareness for homeless youth

Delta Employees Sleep Out Across the U.S. and in Mexico

More than 600 Delta Air Lines employees have joined the Sleep Out movement since 2014. Delta hosts and supports Sleep Out events at their headquarters in Atlanta and at some of their major hubs, including New York City (JFK and LGA), Ft. Lauderdale, Detroit, Los Angeles, and Mexico City.

Stephanie Asbury, Senior Vice President of Global Talent Management at Delta Air Lines, says, “We believe that every young person deserves caring adults to protect and guide them, and opportunities to create their best future."

Common Questions About Sleep Out

Sleep Outs are hosted by local Covenant House sites across North and Central America. Find an upcoming event near you and complete the registration form to sign up. Sleep Out events have varying age and fundraising requirements, so please double check the event details prior to registering. If you can’t find an event near you, consider starting your own.
You create a personal fundraising page upon registration that you can customize with a photo, story, friendly URL, and fundraising goal. This link is what you share with your network so they can donate directly to your page. Each Sleep Out has a required minimum fundraising goal, so please review the event information.

Never fundraised before? Don't worry. Our fundraising tools make it easy to get started, and you’ll receive regular coaching emails prompting you along the way. You also have access to a fundraising coach, who can help you navigate a fundraising strategy. We recommend starting your fundraising at least four weeks before your Sleep Out, but we have seen people reach their goal with less time. Your page will remain active for up to six weeks after the event so you can share about your experience and continue your campaign after your Sleep Out.
In advance of Sleep Out, you will receive emails from your event coordinator with the schedule, venue, and list of what you need to bring with you (this info will also be available on the event website). A typical Sleep Out hosted by a Covenant House site will start around 8pm, with time for registration and a light dinner before the welcome program begins.

We always take time to thank our fundraisers, share about our mission, and show the impact of the funds you raised. You may be broken up into smaller groups for deep-dive conversations on different topics related to youth homelessness with your fellow sleepers, Covenant House experts, and youth or alumni speakers. Some Sleep Outs include a candlelight vigil.

When it’s time to Sleep Out, usually around 11 pm, you will head out to the parking lot or other secure area with your sleeping bag (check with your event coordinator if you need to bring your own). You’ll have the opportunity to change your clothes (layers are recommended!) before settling in. Sleep Out is a rain or shine event, though there will always be indoor space available and Covenant House staff onsite should you need them in the night.

In the morning, sleepers wake up, grab a cup of coffee, and join a morning reflection to talk through the experience, reflect on how it differs from what youth facing homelessness experience, and ask questions before continuing on with your day.

You’ll hear from your event coordinator after the Sleep Out with ways to stay involved.

Join a Sleep Out

When you participate in Sleep Out, you help raise funds that provide a lifeline for young people facing homelessness.

Find an Event

Start Your Own Event

Fundraise and Spread Awareness

The Sleep Out Experience

Delta Employees Sleep Out Across the U.S. and in Mexico

Common Questions About Sleep Out

How do I join a Sleep Out?

How do I fundraise?

What happens at the Sleep Out?

Can I create my own Sleep Out?

Do you have sample messages for email, text, and social media?

Join a Sleep Out