Where is the most unique place you’ve ever slept? In a 2019 article, USA TODAY listed several extreme sleeping locations, including:
- Hanging from a cliff, Estes Park, Colorado
- In a cattle barn, Switzerland
- Inside a glacier, Svalbard, Norway
- On the Great Barrier Reef, Australia
- Dangling from a tree, Bavaria, Germany
Would you ever sleep in any of these locations? I grew up in Estes Park but have never slept on the side of a cliff—and I never want to! But I did recently go camping in a tent, only to discover the importance of a rain cover (watch the video here).
According to a study by U.S. News & World Report, the top-ten worst U.S. cities for sleep are:
1. Philadelphia
Camping without a rain cover.
2. Miami
3. Detroit
4. New York
5. Memphis
6. Chicago
7. Washington
8. Boston
9. Long Beach
10. Fresno
Considering I lived in the suburbs of Boston for nearly a decade, I’m grateful Denver didn’t make the cut!
We all know that where we sleep matters. As I’ve listened to some of our Providence Network’s resident and staff stories recently, I am struck by where many of them slept prior to coming to our program.
- On a friend’s couch
- In a tent
- In a truck
- At a homeless shelter
- At the playground
- On a park bench
- On the sidewalk
- On a mattress in an alley
- In a public restroom
Studies show that exiting poverty is conneted to having the mental and emotional capacity to make wise decisions, also known as executive functioning. When I do not get a full night’s rest, my decision-making capacity goes down. Imagine how night after night of restless sleep impacts brain functioning, increasing the difficulty of exiting homelessness.
Silver Lining House Bedroom
But the first night they come to Providence House, Joy House, or Silver Lining House, they get to sleep in their own room, behind a locked door. There, they feel safe, secure, and most importantly at home. All those things result in a good night’s sleep.
Providence Network served 154 people just last year: 54 men, 55 women, and 45 children. 154 people multiplied by a year is 56,210 nights of safe, secure, and restful sleep!
Your year-round partnership is what makes all this healthy, restorative sleep possible! I am writing to humbly ask you to join The Table, our brand new monthly-giving community. A monthly gift helps us make a daily—and nightly—impact in the lives of our residents, walking with them out of homelessness, addiction, and domestic violence.
Would you please consider joining The Table at $50, $35, $15, or $5 a month?
Because of your generosity and the generosity of our entire community of monthly givers, we can provide a bed, a room, a place to rebuild lives and become whole people. Additionally, we are able to:
- $50/month – equip a resident on their journey toward self-sufficiency through professional case management
- $35/month – help someone take the first step toward healing from trauma with a one-on-one counseling session
- $15/month – combat isolation and nurture community by setting two plates at the table for a shared meal
- $5/month – make a daily impact in the lives of our program residents by your joining a team of faithful donors
While it is tempting to let someone else address this need, I hope you won’t “sleep on it.” Please donate tonight!
Remember the resident who slept on a mattress in an alley? He now has his own apartment, with a nice big bed, at Clausen House. And the individual who slept on a park bench? He’s giving back by serving on staff at Silver Lining House.
There are two ways to give. You can give by debit or credit card via the giving form at the bottom of our webpage, providencenetwork.org/jointhetable; or, you can mail a monthly check to Providence Network, Attn: Development, 801 N Logan Street, Denver, CO 80203. Your bank may offer an automated bill pay option.
Thank you for considering joining The Table! Please donate tonight.
