Sleepless in Seattle may be a movie from the 1990s, but it is also a part of daily life for many area homeless. As temperatures plummet below freezing, thousands of King County residents are left in the cold with nowhere to sleep.
“Sleepless in Seattle – Seattle Gives Back” is an IndieGogo campaign started by UW student Eddie Wang, to distribute cold-weather sleeping bags to as many homeless in King County as possible. Dozens of souls hit the pavement for the ‘Big Give’ event on Dec. 13 to provide a warm place to sleep for many homeless on the streets.
“For me, personally, it’s just a great opportunity to see some active change within the mindset of the community,” said Galen Carlson, a Bothell resident volunteering with Sleepless in Seattle. “I know one of the hardest things about getting involved in something like this is the feeling of helplessness that no matter what you do its not going to make a difference.”
For those on the receiving end of the sleeping bags, the effort was by no means a small act. Thousands of people in King County have nowhere to sleep nor roof over their head, finding refuge on bus stop benches, in parks, or wherever they could find someplace to sleep for a few hours.
“The biggest impact for me was to touch someone’s life personally,” said Bothell resident and volunteer Nidhi Mehta. “If I can give them one night of comfort, so that they can sleep better in the cold harsh weather, I can do this again and again.”
Mehta and Anna Evanger, both Bothell residents, volunteered for the Big Give event and spent the entirety of Saturday either in training or actively looking for people to give sleeping bags, clothing and food.
They found out soon enough, though, that it is more easily said than done. After a fruitless search through parts of Kenmore, Bothell, Woodinville and Kirkland, they were re-directed towards Rainier Avenue in Seattle – where they found instant success.
“I love it, cause I’m homeless,” said Myron Langston, who was helped by the Big Give. “Thank you.”
For people like Langston, the bags aren’t just a place to sleep, but life. When weather gets too cold outside, many area shelters fill up quickly; having a sleeping bag means that there will always be a warm place to rest.
“You gave me a sleeping bag and I appreciate it, because I’m homeless,” said Allen Jackson. “So thank you very much, as I’m on the street.”
For Evanger, the biggest impact was working alongside the people on the project, those thoughtful and devoted souls working their hardest to help those in need.
“I [am] thankful we were able to do this; you could see that it was going to impact the recipients,” Evanger said.
During the Big Give event from Sleepless in Seattle, 220 volunteers gave out around 2,200 sleeping bags during an estimated six-hour window.
For those who received bags, it is a boon they are not likely to forget. For those who volunteered, its been a way to ensure that the community comes together for those in need.
