When I slept outside here in temperatures of 0°C, I had no idea I would meet Bart Nijsink. Or that on October 29, I’d be sleeping outside at the WTC on Amsterdam’s Zuidas alongside him and hundreds of others. All in support of the Sheltersuit Foundation.
Winter is coming, and there are people who have to sleep outside every single night. That’s already inhumane, but even more so when temperatures drop below freezing.
Yesterday, Lex Paleaux appeared on Eva to talk about his books and his experiences with homelessness. What a powerful and moving story.
What many people don’t realize is that there are far more people experiencing homelessness than they think. People you would never expect. People who have jobs but no home. People who have to figure out every single evening where they’ll spend the night and how they’ll get through it.
Imagine having nowhere to go after a long day at work. No warm home, no bed, no safe place to sleep.
It’s almost impossible to imagine, isn’t it?
I experienced sleeping outside in Finland during my trip with Outspire – Creativity Hikes. But of course, that was a completely different situation. Surrounded by beautiful nature, in a partially open shelter, doing it for the adventure and the experience. It was my choice.
But I won’t soon forget that cold.
I had my face tucked deep inside my sleeping bag because otherwise it was simply too cold. I couldn’t get my legs warm, and despite wearing a sweater, a padded vest and a jacket, I was shivering.
And I had a good sleeping bag rated for temperatures as low as -5°C.
That really makes a difference.
And that’s why I find the work of the Sheltersuit Foundation so meaningful. They make and distribute specialized sleeping bags and protective products for people experiencing homelessness.
Not because these products solve homelessness, but because they can make cold nights a little more bearable and safer.
And sometimes, that can literally make all the difference.
That’s why I want to help. By raising money for Sheltersuit and by spending a night outside on the Zuidas on October 29, alongside Bart Nijsink and hundreds of others.
Of course, spending one night outside is nothing like what people experiencing homelessness face every day. But it does help draw attention to a problem that we too easily overlook.
Because while we’re sleeping comfortably in our warm beds, there are people who have no idea where they’ll sleep that night.
Does this story move you too? Then please get involved.
Donate through the link below or, even better, sign up and join us outside on October 29.
Every contribution helps.
Thank you! ❤️
