TAMPA, Fla. — While kids across Hillsborough County climb into bed for a good night’s sleep, many are spending the night without a safe and stable place to lay their heads.
Hillsborough County leaders say that 4,265 students in the county are experiencing some form of homelessness. That’s why Friday night, dozens of participants set up for a 12-hour sleep-out event on the county’s Children’s Services Campus. The event, called Camp Street Lights, was meant to bring awareness to youth homelessness and to let families who need help know that resources are available.
Adiva Slade spoke at the event about her journey with homelessness during childhood.
“I got picked on for what I had on, shoes I was wearing, not having the best hairstyles…so to me it was always kind of traumatizing,” Slade said.
Tampa students came out to the event with their pillows and pajamas, getting a small slice of what it’s like to be without shelter, and working as allies to let others in their age group know help is available.
Slade says, knowing about those resources can be life-changing.
“I would have overcome my homelessness much faster,” she said. “I didn’t have the resources, I didn’t have the help.”
The event runs Friday evening through 6 a.m. Saturday morning, and participants also collected donations for those in need.
For more information on resources from the Tampa Hillsborough Homeless Initiative, click here.