While Eddie Wang was attending the University of Washington (UW), he observed many homeless individuals living on the streets.

“It’s pretty unavoidable around here,” the Redmond native said.

Wang said he would then invite some of these individuals to his home with his friends to get to know them. He said after hearing many people’s stories, he felt more compassion for them.

In response to what he witnessed, Wang, who graduated from Redmond High School in 2009, began Sleepless in Seattle, a grassroots community project with the goal to raise money to provide sleeping bags for the homeless population throughout Seattle and King County.

Wang said he got the idea to do this after hearing another group of people doing the same thing, just on a smaller scale. He then enlisted help from his friends. Together, they created a website, video, graphics and more for the campaign. Wang said his own church also got involved, hosting a fundraising dinner for the cause.

Sleepless in Seattle began in September with a goal of raising $75,000. So far, Wang said they have raised $44,093 as of Thursday morning. They have also received a $25,000 matching grant, so the group now has to raise just under $6,000 by their Thanksgiving deadline.

HELP FROM THE COLD

Wang acknowledged that “sleeping bags aren’t solving the problem of homelessness” but it helps — especially as winter approaches.

“It’s all the more important to meet the needs of those in our community,” he said, adding that sleeping bags are a cost-effective way to help.

Terry Pottmeyer, president and CEO of Friends of Youth (FOY), a nonprofit organization that provides services for homeless youth — among other services — said having a sleeping bag can be crucial to a person’s survival.

“It’s a safety issue,” she said, adding that this is especially true if they do not have access to a shelter. “Having a sleeping bag can really be a lifesaver.”

Pottmeyer said an individual may not be able to spend the night at a shelter because there may not be any space available or they may not have the means of transportation to get to one, even if there is space.

Brad Younggren, medical director of emergency preparedness and associated medical director of trauma for EvergreenHealth, said while the Seattle area may not get as cold as other areas of the country, people can still get “hypothermic in above-freezing temperatures.” He said this is especially true if an individual is wet and cannot get dry, pointing out that the homeless may sometimes spend the whole of their days out in the cold.

Younggren said working in an emergency department, he has seen patients who were hypothermic after prolonged exposure to the cold without being properly clothed or being able to seek shelter.

REFERRING TO THE RIGHT SERVICES

While FOY focuses on helping young people, Pottmeyer said the organization also does its part to help connect older adults with resources and services. She said they will refer people to organizations such as The Sophia Way for women and Congregations for the Homeless for men. There are also shelters specifically for families such as REACH in Renton, which FOY workers also refer people to, Pottmeyer said.

The Redmond Police Department (RPD) also refers homeless individuals to services and resources.

Janessa Rosick, public information officer for the department, said officers try to learn the reasons why someone is homeless — which can range from domestic violence at home or drug problems to mental illness or economic issues — in order to not just get a roof over their heads, but to also get them the help they need.

Rosick added that because of the colder weather this time of year, they don’t see as many people on the street because people do seek shelters to get out of the cold. In addition, she said most of the City of Redmond is private property so it is actually not legal for people to sleep on most of the streets.

Rosick said the city also has a directory of human services on its website at tinyurl.com/mnnsqgg.

HELP FROM OTHERS

In addition to Wang’s efforts, others have been getting involved in Sleepless in Seattle.

Phoebe Huang, who met Wang while they both attended UW, has been helping with outreach and spreading awareness of the group and their goals.

Thinking back on her first experiences with homelessness growing up in the Midwest, she remembers her mother telling her that homelessness occurs when you don’t have any friends.

“If you have a truly good friend, your friends would never let you go homeless,” Huang said.

Like Wang, Huang acknowledged that giving people a sleeping bag may be a small gesture, but it is one that may give them hope that they are not alone. She said homeless people are just another part of the community, not a separate entity.

Wang has not only received help from individuals such as Huang, but from local businesses, as well.

One of those businesses is Redmond-based PinkaBella Cupcakes, which is one of Sleepless in Seattle’s sponsors.

Owner and founder Margo Engberg said one of the things her business was founded on was this passion to help people in need. When she heard what Wang was doing with Sleepless in Seattle, she did not hesitate to jump on board.

“I didn’t have to think about it,” Engberg said.

Through PinkaBella’s sponsorship, she said the initiative is receiving some of the funding they need, but they are also helping in providing cupcakes for each individual who receives a sleeping bag. Engberg said while a cupcake may not cure someone’s hunger, it is a treat they may not get otherwise.

“(Homeless people) barely get their basic needs covered, let alone something special,” she said.

To learn more about Sleepless in Seattle and to donate, visit sleeplessinseattle.org.