The drop in temperature this weekend didn’t stop 25 brave people from sleeping out in the cold in South Windsor all night on Saturday night to raise awareness about homelessness.
The event was hosted by the charity “Hartford Bags of Love” and State Senator Saud Anwar. It kicked off with a public forum at Nevers Park on Saturday night, where residents discussed the issue with U.S. Sen. Richard Blumenthal.
Participants were then invited to spend the night at the park.
Bags of Love is a charity that hands out bags full of basic essentials to the homeless and was started by now-12-year-old Tiernan Cabot, of South Windsor, when he was just 9.
"Sleeping out in the cold for one night is nothing compared to what homeless have to deal with every single night. Really, it’s not too much of a challenge. And I think the people who stepped up were brave, but at the same time I’m glad that they were here because it shows that there are people who understand and I’m hoping that people leave here with a new sense of empathy, said Cabot.
"What’s happening right now is a lot of people from many of the towns feel that they are not responsible for addressing this and we are trying to raise the awareness and I’m so glad this town of South Windsor, people join in to say that they are going to participate in the solution across the state," added State Senator Anwar.
Attendees were asked to donate sleeping bags and other items to help those who deal with homelessness every day.
