Charlottesville, VA (CVILLE RIGHT NOW) – On March 22, 2025, the community will come together for the Sleep Out Cville event, hosted by the Salvation Army and the Jefferson School Foundation. The event, which runs from 9:00 PM to 7:00 AM, invites participants to experience the hardships of homelessness firsthand by spending the night outside. The event aims to raise awareness and empathy for the unhoused population in Charlottesville. “ We’re creating a full circle of the unhoused and homeless population, so it’s not just an assimilation of what it’s like to be homeless. We’re trying to dig down deeper into creating the awareness and the education aspect of it… We’re going to have food for people throughout the evening. And mind you, we’re going to have a heated facility in case it does get too cold, because we’re going to be rain or shine,” said Jim Battaglia, Director of Communications for the Charlottesville Salvation Army.  

The event will feature a panel discussion on the causes of homelessness, financial impacts, and barriers faced by those without a home. “I am definitely more empathetic, and I definitely want to roll our sleeves up at the Jefferson School Foundation to assist the Salvation Army in any way that we can,” shared Kimberly Sheffield of the Jefferson School Foundation, who has been actively involved in organizing the event. 

Registration is open for the event, which will include a food truck, heated facilities, and security to ensure participants’ comfort. The event is open to ages 14 and up, and sponsorship opportunities are available through the Salvation Army’s website. For more details, visit salvationarmy.org, and listen here for the full conversation: