Stefano Grande, executive director of the Downtown Winnipeg BIZ, speaks during a news conference at Siloam Mission to unveil this year’s CEO Sleepout participants on Thursday, September 12, 2013. (SHANE GIBSON / METRO WINNIPEG FILE)
Sleeping bags are being prepped for the third annual CEO Sleepout in downtown Winnipeg tonight.
About 100 local CEOs, community leaders, and members of the media will spend the entire night outside to raise funds and awareness for homelessness and poverty issues in the city.
The event is put on by the Downtown Winnipeg BIZ, who had an original fundraising goal of $150,000. CEO Sleepout participants have raised $157,000 to-date. Organizers and participants are looking to surpass this goal with a new target of $175,000 to support employment programs for our city’s least advantaged.
“The night is not only about fundraising, it’s about education,” said Stefano Grande, executive director of the Downtown BIZ. “Winnipeg CEOs and community leaders need to tackle homelessness together. Government and not-profits on the front lines can’t solve this issue alone. The private sector has a stake and responsibility to push this issue forward.”
The good news is that the weather will cooperate for the Sleepout, with Environment Canada predicting an overnight low of 10°C and no rain.
