Up to 450 people will trade their beds for the open-air seating and field areas of Truist Park next month, bunking down overnight to raise money for young Atlantans facing homelessness and trafficking. The event, called Sleep Out, runs from Friday, November 13, through Saturday, November 14, and marks the first time the fundraiser has landed at the Braves' home ballpark.
The overnight stay is organized by Covenant House Georgia, which has partnered with the Atlanta Braves and Truist Park to host the event, according to Sleep Out's official event page. It is described there as an annual effort meant to raise awareness and critical funds so the organization can continue offering 24/7 safety, shelter and support to young people overcoming homelessness. As FOX 5 Atlanta reported, the campaign also funds Covenant House Georgia's broader housing and anti-trafficking programs in the city.
Participation isn't free, in the sense that everyone who shows up has to put in fundraising work first. Each person must raise at least $1,500 through an online portal before they're allowed to arrive at the ballpark, per the event listing. Teams of three share a combined goal of $4,500, and the organization pairs every participant with a personal fundraising coach and an online guide to help them hit that number.
Who Can Take Part, and What the Night Looks Like
The minimum age to sleep out is 13, and Covenant House Georgia says families with teens that age and older are welcome to register together, the organization notes on its Sleep Out program page. Beyond the overnight stay itself, the event includes stories of resilience from young people who overcame homelessness, advocacy education from experts in the field, and chances to connect with others in the Atlanta community, according to the same Sleep Out listing.
Money raised through individual Sleep Out pages funds a range of Covenant House Georgia programs, including shelter, transitional living, education, workforce readiness, case management, meals and life-skills classes, the organization states on its program page. Supporters who aren't sleeping outside themselves can still register for the overnight stay or donate online to an active fundraising team, and organizers are encouraging people to spread the word using the hashtag #EndYouthHomelessness.
The Need Behind the Event
Covenant House Georgia says more than 3,300 young people experience homelessness in metro Atlanta, a scale of need the organization cites directly on its Sleep Out page. Its Atlanta shelter operates 24 hours a day, 365 days a year, serving young people ages 18 to 24 with safety, food, clothing, showers and a place to stay for up to 90 days, according to Covenant House's national site. From there, some move into Rights of Passage, a two-year independent-living program meant to help young adults build toward stability. Young people who need help can call the Atlanta shelter at 404-713-0954.
Citywide data underscores why organizers keep pointing to urgency. Atlanta's 2024 Point-In-Time Count found a 7% increase in total homelessness, driven by a 41% rise in unsheltered homelessness, according to Partners for HOME. That same count found 46% of the unsheltered population had not previously been recorded in the region's Homeless Management Information System, even as the number of adults experiencing homelessness with children in tow fell 22%.
A Growing Movement at Ballparks Nationwide
Truist Park's Sleep Out joins a broader run of stadium-based fundraisers this fall. Covenant House's Sleep Out movement is set to take place in 20 cities in 2026, according to a September release announcing the national slate. Philadelphia's Citizens Bank Park hosted a Sleep Out in 2025 that raised more than $1 million, a 77% jump from the prior year, the same release noted, while Chicago has drawn hundreds of participants to Soldier Field for its own overnight event, as reported by Block Club Chicago.
Locally, the fundraiser has a long track record even before this year's move to Truist Park. Sleep Out has raised more than $8 million for Covenant House Georgia since its first event in 2012, according to the Saporta Report, which also confirmed this will be the first time the overnight event has been held at the ballpark. A prior annual campaign brought in $888,285 with more than 150 community and business leaders participating, WSB-TV reported at the time, toward a final goal of $970,000.
Covenant House Georgia identifies itself as a 501(c)(3) nonprofit with tax ID number 13-3523561, and states that donations made through Sleep Out are tax-deductible, according to both its Sleep Out page and its separate resources page for participants. Registration and donation links are available through the organization's Sleep Out portal for anyone hoping to join the overnight at Truist Park or back a team from home.
