PALM BEACH COUNTY, Fla. — Hundreds across Palm Beach County are either pitching a tent or making a bed outside. They're participating in a local campaign called "Sleep In for Sleep Out."
Jack Scarola is laying out a sleeping bag on his front stoop simply to raise awareness about homelessness.
"There have been countless lives that we have changed and many, many lives we have saved," he said.
For the past 13 years, the Lord's Place has held a sleep out as a fundraiser. But with Florida's new normal because of COVID-19 this year, things have been modified.
"This obviously is the very first year where we have been compelled to modify what we are doing and turning sleep out into Sleep In for Sleep Out," he said.
Friday night before he lays his head down, Jack, one of the Lord's Place founding board members, watches an inspirational "Sleep In for Sleep Out" program with his wife Anita that includes those who've been helped.
The Lord's Place is a homeless advocacy group. Between 2018 and 2019 they helped just under 2,000 people with an $11 million budget while operating 30 programs. This year's goal for Sleep In for Sleep Out is $350,000.
"Our fundraising goal this year is $350,000. The first $300,000 of that goal is going to be matched by a remarkable lady, the honorable Anne Brown, who has pledged to match dollar for dollar for the first $300,000," he said.
Jack's wife Anita says it's all about helping people within the community.
"Through the Lord's Place we've been able to help so many families and just so many individuals on many levels," she said.
Jack says as he prepares to lay down he'll county his blessings.
"And in significant ways help to pay a debt I perceive we owe to this community," he said.
