About two dozen hardy and large-hearted souls slept outside in cardboard boxes, tents and cars last week to raise money for and awareness of the needs of more than 1,800 struggling families in the west metro, some of whom are homeless.

The annual Sleep Out event was sponsored by the Plymouth-based Interfaith Outreach & Community Partners, which provides food, housing, transportation, child care and employment help for those in need. Temperatures dipped into the teens at night.

For more information about the organization and its work, go to www.iocp.org.

Pamela Miller