What will you do to make a difference in your community this year? Could you give up your bed for a night to help vulnerable young people sleep safely at Covenant House Vancouver?
On Thursday, February 20, 2025, individuals and teams from across the Lower Mainland will do exactly this, sleeping in a city alley to raise funds and awareness for youth homelessness. This is Sleep Out: Champions Edition, our annual event that brings together a caring community of professionals, companies, influencers, and others in a powerful act of solidarity.
Read on to learn more about this unique opportunity to take meaningful action in 2025 —and bring hope to youth who need it most.
What Can You Expect at Sleep Out?
Sleep Out participants will gather at our 1280 Seymour St. location in downtown Vancouver. After a warm welcome and an introduction to Covenant House Vancouver, here’s how the evening goes:
A Glimpse Behind the Scenes
Building tours are a highlight of the Sleep Out experience. Escorted by Covenant House staff, participants get an insider peek at our main building, which includes youth suites, a cafeteria, music and art rooms, cozy communal living spaces and more.
Poignant Insights from Youth
Post-tour, participants settle in to hear directly from youth who have experienced our programs firsthand. At our last Sleep Out, past resident Dylan was part of a youth panel who spoke to participants. Dylan spoke about healing through artwork, music, and poetry; passions he discovered while living at Covenant House Vancouver — and his journey to thriving on his own, thanks to the life skills, relationships and support he gained while in program.
“When I first came to Covenant House, I really wasn’t sure what to expect, but then it really dawned on me that this was my first experience with safety.” Dylan, Covenant House Vancouver Alumni Youth
The Cold Reality of Sleeping Outside
Finally, it’s time for participants to get ready for a chilly and damp night, sleeping outside on the ground amid the bright lights and noise of the downtown setting. Everyone grabs a sleeping bag and a piece of cardboard, where they write the names of their donors and the reasons they’re Sleeping Out.
Morning Reflections
In the morning, the group gathers to share reflections about their experience. This is often emotional and always enlightening. Participants know that they will head home soon after, having made a deliberate choice to sleep outside. But for many youth it isn’t a choice — and most won’t have the option to recuperate with a hot shower and warm bed in the coming weeks.
Why Should You Sleep Out? Here’s What Past Participants Say
Our past participants tell us that the experience of Sleep Out is profound and life-altering. They do it to experience a small fraction of what homeless youth go through, and to raise funds toward a shared goal: a future without homelessness.
Sleep Out participant Kate Furber
First-time 2024 participant Kate was inspired to Sleep Out by friends and colleagues who had done so in the past. “I drive by this building every day on my way to and from the office. I just wanted to do something to give back to the community,” she said. “Listening to the youth who have benefited from all of the programs and facilities here — it’s just so impactful.”
Sleep Out participant Ronan Deane
Seven-time participant Ronan recently reflected on why he continues to attend and raise funds as part of Sleep Out: “You know, it’s easy to be pessimistic about what’s going on in the world, and homelessness is a daunting thing, but Covenant House is very intentional about how it deals with youth. It does what it can with the people that it interacts with, and I know every penny raised is very well spent.”
How Will Sleep Out Funds Be Used?
This February, funds raised from Sleep Out will go toward our mental health programming. Many of the youth who walk through our doors have experienced trauma, and other types of mental health challenges. Once we address immediate needs, such as food, clothing, and shelter, our case workers tailor mental health support services to the unique needs and situation of each youth, within a carefully cultivated trusting and confidential relationship. This may include working with one of our onsite Registered Clinical Counsellors, to accessing a variety of supports, such as art therapy, one-on-one sessions, referral to a treatment centre, and more.
Now’s Your Chance: Become a Sleep Out Champion in 2025
There are 500–1,000 young people without a safe place to sleep every night in Metro Vancouver. Each of them has a story, a dream, and a future. Sleep Out participants advocate for those futures.
Learn more and sign up for Sleep Out — you can start fundraising as an individual or team right away.