Brunswick Partnership for Housing (BPH) is a private, nonprofit organization serving Brunswick County.  It provides services for more than 500 homeless individuals and families annually.  In addition, it advocates for the development of permanent, safe and affordable housing in Brunswick County.  Services include:

• Outreach and case management

• Information and referrals

• Linkages with agencies serving homeless individuals and families in a three-county area

• Emergency shelter through motels in Leland, Southport and Shallotte

• Transitional housing for homeless families

• Outreach served 407 people with intake, referrals and case management services

• Of those 407 served, 307 people received emergency shelter for 650 nights

• Transitional housing served18 people in eight households and four of those families moved to permanent housing.

• The City of Southport Planning Board gave BPH approval for a seven-unit workforce housing project that will be on a lot adjacent to its building at 250 E. 11th Street, Southport

Sleep Out Brunswick is the premier fundraising event for Brunswick Partnership for Housing.  While fundraising is important to provide services and housing, it is designed to raise awareness about the challenges those in homelessness and/or in poverty face.  “We sleep out – so children don’t have to.”

This is a county-wide overnight sleepout and Poverty Simulation© experience.  The main event is October 16, 2026, starting at 5 p.m. at Brunswick Community College, Alan Holden Public Safety Building, 301 College Road NE, Bolivia NC.  It ends October 17 by 8 a.m. 

Or, individuals and groups may choose to sleep out on their own date that best meets their schedule between September 16 – October 16. 

Participants will have the unique opportunity to engage in a Poverty Simulation©.  This profoundly moving experience moves people through a variety of stations to experience the harsh reality of poverty and the challenges individuals and families face.  This will take place at the main event from  6 p.m.- 9 p.m. October 16.

You can get involved in Sleep Out Brunswick in several ways:

• Participate

• Sponsor

• Donate

• Volunteer

As a participant, you can register as an individual or a team.  Registration starts here on Monday, August 10.  Invite your family, friends or groups to participate.  Or, you can be a sponsor, volunteer or make a donation to a team member or individual.

To register and learn about the ways you can get involved, visit our Sleep Out page. Or contact Sally Learned at 910-946-1501, admin@brunswickpartnership.org; Susan Crabtree at 267-235-6132, susancrabtree75@gmail.com; or Barry Fulton at 949-533-5537, barrylfulton@gmail.com.

The main event will be held at the Brunswick Community College, Alan Holden Public Safety Building, 301 College Road NE, Bolivia NC, October 16 from 5 p.m. through October 17 ending no later than 8 a.m.

However, you may choose to have your own sleepout on a night between September 16 and October 16.  You can register online as an individual or a team starting Monday, August 10.  You may choose to sleep in your car, driveway or yard.  A church youth group, for example, may get together and sleep on church property.

Online, you designate if you are an individual or team, if you’re sleeping out at the main event or choosing your own date and location.  As you raise funds, your sponsors go directly online to donate on your personal fundraising page.  (See question No. 9 below)

On-site participants should plan to:

• Sleep out overnight at the main event, Oct. 16, for up to 15 hours.  Or, you may choose to stay until midnight to be considered an official sleeper.

• Sleep out as individuals or as a team

• Bring your own sleeping gear.  Once you register, an information packet will be provided advising you of what to bring, registration, parking, etc.

Off-site participants should plan to:

• Sleep out overnight on a date between Sept. 16 - Oct. 16 at location of your choosing for up to 15 hours 

• Sleep out as individuals or as a team.  A team could be your family or group of friends and neighbors, perhaps in a driveway, back yard or garage.

If you sign up to participate at the main event, BPH will provide:

• Fundraising tools and guidance

• Poverty Simulation© experience from 6 p.m. – 9 p.m.

• Parking

• A designated place to sleep outside

• A safe environment with security guards

• Modest dinner and breakfast

• Cardboard boxes for sleeping (you may choose to bring a pup tent or sleep in your car) 

If you sign up to participate offsite:

• Fundraising tools and guidance

• Timeline

• Yard signage

• Activities sheets for discussion

• A guest speaker if there are 10 or more in your group

Visit our Sleep Out page and create your team by clicking the “Register & Donate” button, then scroll down to click on one of the “Join or form team” buttons.  You will be prompted to Sign Up or Sign In.  After this step, you can “Join an existing team” or “Create your own team.”  Here you will click on your personal fundraising goal and then click, “Join this fundraiser.”

For off-site participants, you must let us know by appending "(off-site)" to your TEAM name, such as "Team Jerry (off-site)."   For off-site participants, we will supply a toolkit with a sample schedule, yard signs and activity ideas to help make your event a success.

To make your fundraising efforts more compelling, we recommend adding your personal story. If you are the team leader, you may want to add text to “Story” that says something like:  “We are excited to hold an off-site fundraiser.  It will be held on DATE starting at 5 p.m. and ending by 8 a.m.  The address is ADDRESS, CONTACT EMAIL AND PHONE.” Then include other details you’d like your team to know.

Online fundraising is easy to do. Brunswick Partnership for Housing provides the online platform where participants can set up their personal fundraising page.  Here you’ll set your goal.  Participants will be provided with tips and ideas for fundraising. To sign up and for more information, go to our Sleep Out page.

We encourage everyone to set their fundraising goal high. We ask each Sleep Out Brunswick participant to set a goal of at least $1,500.  You’ll be surprised how easy it is to reach it.  If your supporters know you are working toward a goal – maybe it’s a stretch goal – they are more likely to stretch their gift.  Start with an ask of $150.  That’s about $10 an hour for each hour you’re sleeping out.  Of course, set your ask at the amount you’re comfortable with.  Every dollar works toward your goal.

As a point of reference, $500 will cover the cost of four nights of emergency shelter or one week of transitional housing services.  Families may stay in one of our transitional housing units for 72 or more weeks.

Here is a look at what your sponsors’ donations might do to help someone in need:

• $50 is a tank of gas for someone sleeping in their car

• $100 covers groceries or prepared food

• $150 is one night in a motel room

• $200 is a tent, sleeping bag, mat, cooler, lantern, bug spray, hygiene items

• $500 is four nights in a motel or one week for a family in transitional housing

• $1,000 is initial daycare fees and application fees for apartment complexes

• $1,500 is full sponsorship for one person at Sleep Out Brunswick

Start with people you know.  The low hanging fruit is your sphere of influence and those causes where you have donated.  Starting planting the seeds now about Sleep Out Brunswick.  The follow-up ask in August will help heighten their excitement to “Join” or “Sponsor” you.

Face-to-face conversations are always the best way.  It’s fast and effective and those you contact can see it’s important to you. Start by creating a list of everyone you know personally.  Think big.  You’ll be surprised who will give … you just need to ask. Letter writing works, too. A personal letter can be magic in this text and email world.  But those are good tools too. 

And follow up, follow up, follow up.  Everyone is busy and can lose track of time.  Just send a friendly reminder.  Let them know how your fundraising is going and how they can help.  “I’ve almost reached my goal, and you can put me over the top!”

Yes!  Check out our “10 Steps to Successful Fundraising”.

Yes!  We need people to help with parking, registration, the Poverty Simulation®, set up, clean up, and more.  Contact Sally Learned at 910-946-1501, admin@brunswickpartnership.org if you’d like to volunteer.