Last year, I didn’t just show up to the Sleep Out—I showed up to feel it. I didn’t want to just be a name on a participant list or someone who donated and went home. I wanted to really involve myself, to lean into the experience, and to see it for what it was truly intended to be: a window into the reality that far too many young people face every single day.

I came in thinking my camping experience might make it easy. It didn’t. The ground was hard. The air was cold. The noise never stopped. I got maybe two hours of sleep—and even that felt like a privilege. That night humbled me in a way I wasn’t fully prepared for.

What struck me most wasn’t just the discomfort—it was the stories. The raw, honest moments shared by youth who had experienced homelessness. The words from leaders, advocates, and changemakers who work daily to push for real solutions. It hit different when you’re hearing those stories under the stars, trying to keep warm with just a blanket and a hoodie.

Two words stuck with me when I walked away the next morning: perspective and humility. I kept thinking about what it must be like to try and go to school, play sports, or just be a kid while carrying that kind of weight.

This year, I’m back for Sleep Out 2025—because once you experience something that powerful, you don’t forget it. You don’t turn away from it. You dig deeper. The Columbus Wizards and I are proud to not only partner with Huckleberry House for a second year—but to keep showing up and using our platform to say: these young people matter.

If you’re here, thank you. Whether you’re donating, sharing, or just taking a moment to learn more, you’re part of something that truly makes a difference.

Let’s keep showing up. Let’s keep building hope. And let’s keep fighting for every young person who deserves a safe place to land.

Casey Gillespie

President, The Columbus Wizards