An eye opening experience

A number of Winnipeg CEO's and other communtiy leaders had a difficult time falling asleep last night.

Around 85 participants, including Frank Ulrich, Executive Director of Union Gospel Mission, set up sleeping bags and makeshift tents on Thursday night, as part of the 6th Annual CEO Sleepout.

Ulrich says even though he deals with Winnipeg's homeless community on a daily basis, this was still an eye opening experience.

"As I was laying there for those three and a half hours, I thought, you know what, I am fortunate because there was security, there was a big ceiling over top of my head, and we had access to coffee and things like that. But if you have to source out your own place to stay, and you don't have security, that would be a game changer."

The goal of the CEO sleepout is to raise funds, create a better understanding of the less fortunate and to build relation ships and employ the homeless.

Ulrich says that Union Gospel Mission's men's addiction recovery program has been a recipient of funding from the sleepout in the past.

"That allowed us to incorporate the men in our program. For example, doing donation pick ups outside of the city, helping us out with our drop in program, helping us with cleaning our facility. So basically, it allows us to give these men a little bit of funds to reward them for the work they do at the mission."

Since it's inception, the CEO Sleepout has raised a total of $800,000, which has helped to employ 137 people, adding up to over 51 thousand hours of employment. Many of those helped by the program have returned to school or found full time employment to create a greater impact on our community.

The hope is to increase that number to $1,000,000 this year.

The 2017 CEO Sleepout was held in conjunction with the National Conference on Ending Homelessness, which is also being held at the RBC Convention Centre.