Social Bite Founder launches World’s Big Sleep Out campaign alongside Dame Helen Mirren and Will Smith

NEW YORK (May 8, 2019) – The Co-Founder of Social Bite, the charity initiative which supports homeless and displaced people, Josh Littlejohn MBE has today revealed plans for its international Sleep Out campaign, the ‘World’s Big Sleep Out’.

The World’s Big Sleep Out will see fundraising events take place in towns and cities across the globe on December 7^th 2019, supported by a list of internationally recognised faces including Dame Helen Mirren and Will Smith. The campaign aims to see a total of 50,000 people sleeping out in their respective cities on the same night, bringing global attention to the issue of homelessness and international displacement. Across the world, not only adults but children are on the move after being forced to flee their homes and sleeping on rocks instead of a safe bed. The campaign will call for an end to global homelessness, highlighting the Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) that every country in the world has signed up to to end homelessness by 2030.

Cities already confirmed to be taking part include, London (Trafalgar Square), New York (Times Square), Edinburgh (Princes St Gardens), Chicago (Lincoln Park), New Delhi (Central Park), Newcastle, Dublin, Belfast, Madrid, Barcelona, Brussels, Cardiff, Santiago, Rijeka and Kharviv with more to be announced as the event gets closer. The events will feature world-renowned music acts, as well as a bedtime story read by some of the most famous voices in the world, including Will Smith and Dame Helen Mirren.

Registration to join the event will open to the public in early September, and each applicant will commit to fundraising as much as they can. It is hoped that an estimated 50,000 participants will collectively achieve a fundraising target of $50,000,000 which will be distributed to a range of homelessness and refugee focused charities throughout the world. As well as benefitting local charities where the events take place, partners for the campaign include the Malala Fund, UNICEF USA and the Institute of Global Homelessness who will be able to support a target of 1,000,000 homeless and displaced people with the funds raised.

This global event follows on from the success of Social Bite’s Sleep in the Park events in 2017 and 2018, which was held in Edinburgh, Dundee, Glasgow and Aberdeen. The mass fundraiser saw around 18,000 people give up their beds over the last 2 years, raising a total of almost £8 million. A new charity, called The World’s Big Sleepout Trust has been established to govern the funds raised, whilst funds raised in the USA will be managed by UNICEF USA with the support of Robin Hood Foundation.

The general public can register for an official event or sign up to “Host Your Own” sleep out in their backyard, office car park, high school or university campus by visiting www.bigsleepout.com.

Josh Littlejohn MBE, Social Bite and WBSO Founder, said: “For one night, in backyards, hometowns and iconic locations across the globe, we will sleep out in unison to create the world’s largest display of solidarity with those experiencing homelessness and displacement. I would like to encourage people from all walks of life to join the movement, sleep out and raise funds to support those that have no other choice. This is a call to city governments, business leaders, students, school children, religious groups and people from all over the world. Whether you sleep out in your backyard or Times Square New York, together we can raise a target of $50,000,000 to tackle homelessness and displacement, whilst sending a message to the World’s political leaders to ensure that everyone has a safe place to call home.”

Dame Helen Mirren said: "Homelessness on our streets is a real problem in the UK and for many nations throughout the world. This coupled with an unprecedented number of refugees being displaced internationally makes this a really important time to focus attention on the issue of global homelessness. The World's Big Sleep Out campaign will play an important role in shining the political spotlight on the issues of homelessness and displacement whist raising considerable funds to make a big difference. I am pleased to have this opportunity to make a contribution by performing a "bed-time" story for participants in London, which will also be screened at sleepout events happening throughout the world. I'd like to encourage anyone who cares about this issue to get involved by sleeping out, in solidarity with those who have no choice, on December 7^th."

Malala Yousafzai, co-founder of Malala Fund said: “Educated girls have the power to transform our world. But without a home or access to education, millions of refugee and displaced girls are unable to fulfil their potential. I am excited to partner with Social Bite and have their support for Malala Fund’s work to help refugee girls get back into school."

Caryl M. Stern, President and CEO of UNICEF USA, said: “UNICEF was founded more than 70 years ago to support displaced, homeless populations, so the mission of supporting children who have been uprooted from their homes is at the core of the organization’s work. We’re excited to take part in The World’s Big Sleep Out to engage Americans locally, with important global context, while raising vital funds and increasing awareness. Together, we can create lifesaving, long-lasting impact for children around the world.”   

Dame Louise Casey DBE CB, Chair Advisory Council WBSO and Chair of the Institute of Global Homelessness, said: “The Institute of Global Homelessness is honoured to partner with Social Bite, Malala Fund and UNICEF USA to raise support for people experiencing homelessness around the world. Homelessness is an urgent, deadly issue that affects people in all nations, but it is an issue that can be solved. The World’s Big Sleep Out is an act of compassion for our fellow citizens; a way to raise much needed funds and a campaign for lasting change where everyone has a place to call home.” 

José Manuel Caballol, CEO of RAIS, said: “RAIS is honored to partner with Social Bite, Malala Fund and UNICEF USA to raise funds and support for people experiencing homelessness in Spain and around the world. And we are very excited to announce that Madrid is in by the unanimous support of all the political groups in the City Council. Homelessness is a social phenomenon mainly characterized by the violation of human rights. This problem affects our whole society and so we all have a role to play in solving the current crisis. With enough social and political commitment, we can solve homelessness once and for all. The World’s Big Sleep Out campaign will be a great scenario to show that together we will end homelessness”.

Dave Giffen, Executive Director of the Coalition for the Homeless said: “The Coalition for the Homeless is proud to be partnering with the World's Big Sleep Out campaign to work for an end to mass homelessness by holding a worldwide public sleep out on Friday, December 7^th. The Coalition looks forward to the flagship event in Times Square, where more than a thousand New Yorkers will demonstrate their solidarity with, and support for, those experiencing homelessness and displacement by sleeping outside together for one night. We very excited that Will Smith, Dame Helen Mirren, and an expected 50,000 people all over the world will join the massive sleep outs in New York, London, Madrid, New Delhi, Chicago, Dublin and many other cities. We encourage all caring New Yorkers to join this global event, which aims to raise a total of $50 million to aid homeless and displaced people in our city and all over the world.”

Councillor Nick Forbes, leader of Newcastle City Council, said: “We’re proud that Newcastle is a city that has already made great strides in tackling homelessness, but our work will not be done until it has been eradicated. That is why we have pledged to become a homelessness-free city and end rough sleeping through the Street Zero partnership. This alliance of four sectors – public, business, charity and community organisations – aims to deliver and implement a city-wide homelessness prevention strategy. We want to see an end to homelessness at home and across the world, and Newcastle’s Big Sleepout will be a fantastic way for people to show how much this matters as well as raising money to help people at risk of homelessness in our city right now.”

Bipin Raj, Board Member, Delhi Urban Shelter Improvement Board, GNCTD said: “The New Delhi govt is committed to providing support to the homeless. We welcome the World’s Big Sleep Out event to be held on 7th December in New Delhi and other cities across the world. We are proud to support the organisers of this event and will be sure to make it memorable. We encourage one and all to support this event.”

Kerry Anthony, CEO Depaul Ireland said; “Depaul are absolutely delighted to be part of a world-wide event like The World’s Big Sleep Out. Depaul is part a global family of charities working to end homelessness around the world. With events happening in major cities on this one night we felt it was important for Dublin to be involved in such a global initiative. Homelessness is a global issue and we have seen its impact in Ireland particularly over the last number of years. We hope by being involved in such a major event that we will keep the issue of homelessness very much to the forefront of people’s minds. We are delighted to be holding our Big Sleep Out at Croke Park stadium given its cultural and historical significance within Ireland and beyond. The Gaelic Games Association (GAA) play a huge role in communities all across Ireland and they are really excited to be part of such a global movement.  We are urging people to get involved and play their part in helping to raise awareness and funds for those most in need in Ireland as well as around the world.”

Frances Beecher, CEO of Llamau said: “Homelessness continues to be a huge issue in Wales and a shocking 7,584 people under the age of 25 needed help with homelessness last year. But we firmly believe that homelessness is an issue that can be solved and that everyone can be part of the solution. By working together, we can make sure that homelessness is a thing of the past. Llamau is delighted to be hosting Cardiff’s World’s Big Sleep Out event, giving the people of Wales the opportunity to play their part in ending homelessness, both in Wales and across the world.”

Adrienne Van Vyve, CEO Street Nurses said: “We are convinced that ending homelessness cannot be achieved without a change of mentality. Just going out onto the street to help is not enough. This change of mentality must take place simultaneously amongst the general public and those with the power to make changes at different levels: local, regional, national, European and global. For this reason, we must come together across borders to make homelessness a thing of the past…forever! The World's Big Sleep Out is a great opportunity to raise awareness around homelessness as a matter that urgently needs to be tackled!”

For high res imagery, please see this Dropbox link.

Further details on the World’s Big Sleep Out campaign will be announced in due course.   

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Social Bite
Social Bite started as a sandwich shop on Rose Street in Edinburgh in August 2012 and has now grown to five shops in Scotland, two large staff canteens in Edinburgh, a central production kitchen in Livingston and one of the country’s leading independent corporate catering businesses.

One quarter of Social Bite’s staff are homeless and the charity has received visits from Hollywood superstars Leonardo DiCaprio and George Clooney. 

Social Bite’s 2017 and 2018 Sleep in Park events in Scotland raised over £7million and saw more than 18,000 people sleeping out. Video from the events can be seen at www.vimeo.com/246949595

Social Bite is the largest distributor of free fresh food to homeless in the UK, giving out over 100,000 items of food and hot drinks per year.

The Social Bite Village launched in May 2018 with 20 people now housed in the bespoke accommodation. 
www.social-bite.co.uk
www.sleepinthepark.co.uk

Malala Fund
Malala and Ziauddin Yousafzai founded Malala Fund in 2013 to champion every girl’s right to 12 years of free, safe, quality education. Together its board, leadership council, staff, and champions are creating a more equal world by making sure all girls can go to school.
www.malala.org

UNICEF USA
The United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) works in more than 190 countries and territories to put children first. UNICEF has helped save more children’s lives than any other humanitarian organization by providing health care and immunizations, safe water and sanitation, nutrition, education, emergency relief and more.

UNICEF USA supports UNICEF’s work through fundraising, advocacy and education in the United States. Together, it is working toward the day when no children die from preventable causes, and every child has a safe and healthy childhood.
www.unicefusa.org

The Institute of Global Homelessness
The Institute of Global Homelessness (IGH) supports an emerging global movement to end street homelessness. IGH partners with key global cities to develop local leaders, set metrics, scale successes, and drive advocacy – all to accelerate progress in reducing and ending homelessness. IGH envisions a world where everyone has a place to call home – a home that offers security, safety, autonomy, and opportunity. Learn more about IGH’s work at www.ighomelessness.org.

Based in Chicago at DePaul University, the Institute of Global Homelessness supports pracitioners and policymakers to end street homelessness across the world. Founded in 2014, IGH is a joint initiative of DePaul University in Chicago, USA and Depaul International in London, UK. The Chicago Sleep Out will be run by DePaul University and the United Kingdom Sleep Outs be run in partnership with Depaul UK.

RAIS
RAIS is a Spanish organization working at international level to ending homelessness. Homelessness is a global human rights crisis that demands an urgent global response. We cannot allow to live in a society violating the right to a house, to health and to security of a part of its citizens. For further information: www.raisfundacion.org

For more information, contact
Lauren Davitt, UNICEF USA, ldavitt@unicefusa.org