# NoPillow aims to help homeless
Friends of the Light House raising funds, awareness with selfie challenge
A pillowis a luxury item for a homeless child or adult and Friends of the Light House shelterwant to spread that message through a new social media challenge, # NoPillow.
Friends of the Light House is asking people to sleep without a pillow to experience what homeless people are going through and encouraging donations to the Light House shelter in Annapolis. They want people to post a selfie with # NoPillow on Facebook and Instagram @ FriendsOfTheLightHouse.
They also want people to challenge five other people. The challenge is over at the end of January.
Catherine Castro, president of Friends of the Light House board, invented the challenge so that all ages could participate. At the shelter, they give out sleeping bags, tents, blankets and food. Pillows are long down the line of things given out and not on the radar, she said.
“Sleeping without a pillow is gentle enough that it sends the point across and it starts the conversation at home,” Castro said.
Friends of the Light House has three goals for the challenge: raise awareness, spark community involvement and raise funds. They do these goals by holding events throughout the year, but with the coronavirus pandemicmany of thosewere canceled.
Every donation to the Friends of the LightHouse goes to help out LightHouse shelter. Castro said the need has never been greater than right now.
“The need is so great and I feel like this challenge will spur compassion and get people thinking out the box. Whenyou are sleeping without a pillow you might feel uncomfortable and might not like it and that is so small to what the homeless community is going through,” Castro said.
Part of this challenge will benefit students that need service hours. Students can earn five service hours for every 25 people that accept their challenge. Students email NoPillowChallenge@ FriendsLHS. org. It is a COVID- safe way to get service hours, Castro said.
Castro would like to challenge all Anne Arundel County schools to participate in the challenge. Also, she wants people to challenge any clubs, teams or jobs people are a part of.
Castro took the challenge on Wednesday night and challenged Gov. Larry Hogan and his wife Yumi, Mayor Gavin Buckley and his family, Admiral SeanBuck and the entire Brigade of Midshipmen, state Sen. Sarah Elfreth and Cal Ripken.
In the new year, Friends of the Light House are planning new events and always looking for ways to raise more money.