Sioux Falls Sleep Out Event Raises Homelessness Awareness

For most of us, imagining what it would be like to be homeless is just that - imagining. But for about 610 people in our community, homelessness is their reality.

Dakota News Now is reporting that ten Sioux Falls residents are spending a night outdoors to raise awareness and support for the Bishop Dudley Hospitality House, a homeless shelter serving those in need. The annual “Sleep Out” event will take place tonight, Thursday, October 16, 2025, at the shelter in downtown Sioux Falls.

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Participants will bundle up and sleep under a tent, inside cardboard refrigerator boxes, to better understand what it’s like to be without shelter. Overnight temperatures are expected to dip to around 53 degrees, with a chance of rain—adding realism to the experience.

“This is a simulation of homelessness,” said Executive Director Madeline Shields. “The people who are spending the night in our parking lot are by no means homeless, but it does expose them to the cold, unfamiliar noises, and inconveniences that people without shelter experience daily.”

"A Night of Hope for the Homeless" also includes a program where former guests share personal stories about their struggles and paths to stability. These powerful accounts help raise awareness of the challenges faced by those without housing.

This year alone, Bishop Dudley Hospitality House has provided food, shelter, and essential support to more than 1,500 individuals and 38 families—including 82 children—in the Sioux Falls community.

For more information, see the Bishop Dudley Hospitality House online and on Facebook.

Source: Dakota News Now

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