Sleepless for our Community

Reflections of a UWHH Fundraising Participant

What is Sleepless for Our Community?

On Friday February 20 I took part in a fundraiser by United Way of Halton & Hamilton called Sleepless for our Community. Each year, volunteers nation-wide sleep in their vehicle for an evening to both raise money for United Way programming and to raise awareness of homelessness (especially hidden homelessness) in our communities. Proceeds from the event support United Way programming related to housing and homelessness in your community.

What is “Hidden Homelessness”?

Hidden homelessness includes couch-surfing, sleeping in vehicles, or otherwise the experience of having no fixed address but not being publicly visible. Unlike tents and encampments, hidden homelessness often occurs under the radar, and many people are unaware of the challenges faced by their neighbors living rough in the community. This blog post is a reflection on my own experience of sleeping in my car for one night, juxtaposed with a broader understanding of the very real and often long-term struggles people have living outside. My hope is that these reflections will help highlight the existence and prevalence of hidden homelessness and to support local actions we can take to support homeless neighbors.  

Preparing my Vehicle

The fundraiser required participants to sleep in their vehicle between 10pm and 8am and offered resources to prepare for the evening and people to keep in touch with who were also participating. This helped build a sense of safety and solidarity and reinforced the community behind the event. Pulling from these resources, I set my car up with a sleeping bag, comforters, water, wool socks, and heating pads. As I setup my car, one of the things that became apparent was the need to keep light out and preserve a sense of privacy overnight – so I setup sheets to cover the windows. Space became another challenge – I put my backseats down to allow for the trunk and backseats to be utilized as a bed. This proved practical in terms of creating more space but also had limitations in the degree of comfort – it was very hard and uneven.

As the night wore on, I became aware of a few things: every outside noise became a cause for concern, the temperature dropped dramatically by midnight, and it was difficult to strike a balance between opening windows to allow for airflow while keeping some semblance of warmth. By the morning, I felt stiff and sore, and unrested.

What I Learned

I benefited from knowledge shared with me from others who experienced homelessness for much longer than one night – whether it be sleeping outside or in their vehicles. The importance of heating pads and wool socks was constantly reinforced, and I learned that keeping the windows open by a small amount (no more than half an inch!) would help keep moisture from accumulating inside the vehicle and restore oxygen to the air throughout the night. These basics were integral to maintaining comfort and warmth during a cold winter night.

One of the major takeaways was the lack of inherent safety and security. I felt very exposed, even with locked doors between me and the outside. I also had the option of parking on my own street in a familiar neighborhood, where I knew my neighbors and felt a much lesser risk. Despite this, a sense of comfort was even more evasive, as finding space that could accommodate me and my need for a soft surface to sleep was all but impossible. Since this experience I have reflected on the fact that many of my friends in community sleep in their vehicles every night, for months and even years. Some people did not even have a car to sleep in – no locked doors, no option for quick heat, and no way to move along. Getting through such experiences over an extended period must take sheer resilience and grit indeed.

What this says about “Home” vs “Housing”

 Looking forward, I think this experience helped not only to raise awareness of hidden homelessness for the people in my own life who supported my fundraiser but also made clear the limitations in my own understanding of homelessness and the experience of it. The discomfort and lack of safety I felt is not comparable to the experience of being chronically homelessness, in a car or otherwise, because I always had the option to return to a home in a familiar place. It highlighted the deeply human need for more than “housing” – but a familiar and secure “home” where I feel a sense of safety, predictability, and belonging. It allows for rest without vigilance, control over one’s environment, and personal agency and choice. It is more than a structure around us; it is the place we can be ourselves and welcome others in.

If one night left me this unsettled, what does that say about the urgency experienced by our more chronically homeless neighbors in community?

In Solidarity,

Steven

Want to learn more about housing and homelessness in Halton, or interested in ways to get involved? Visit our website for more information!

Community Development Halton Events Page: https://www.cdhalton.ca/event-list

Voices of Lived Experience with Homelessness Initiative: https://www.cdhalton.ca/lived-experience-project