Winnipeg's 5th CEO Sleepout raises $163,000 for homeless

The fifth annual CEOSleepout isa rare opportunity for some of Winnipeg's wealthiest and most influential citizens to spend time with some of the city's poorest and most vulnerable. Thesleepoutwrapped upFriday morning.

In total, 134 participants, including CEOs and community leaders,slept outside at Portage and Main andraised$163,000 tofund antipoverty programs in the city.

"It's a lovely event," saidAri Driver, chair of the Downtown Winnipeg BIZ homelessness committee.

Many members of Winnipeg's homeless population join participants for the event, she said.

"They sleep in the sleeping bags right next to us. You never know who you're going to wake up to next morning," Driver said.

Restaurants donate food for the CEOSleepout and people share a meal togetherlike a big family, said Driver.

"It's a great event," said Driver."It's just very organic. People just get together;you don't know who is who."

Money raised by the CEO Sleepout goes to the homelessness committee, which sees its mission as providing a "hand up" not a "handout" to people living in poverty, said Driver.

"This initiative of the Downtown Winnipeg BIZ provides money and pays wages for jobs and programs," she said."Sometimes we just need to offer a helping hand."