CHAMPAIGN, Ill. (WCIA) — C-U at Home’s annual One Winter Night event came back for another year, and so did people to support the homeless.

One Winter Night has been running for 13 years now in Champaign. It’s an event organized by C-U at Home to help spread awareness about people dealing with homelessness. This year, hundreds rallied in support.

“[It’s] just so humbling for me, honestly, to be part of this and to see how much again, this is a community that cares,” said Melissa Courtwright, C-U at Home Executive Director

Courtwright said this is their biggest event of the year. It’s created for people to come experience what it’s like to sleep outside and doing it for one whole night.

Organizers are hoping this is one of many ways people will be able to feel the challenges the homeless are faced with.

“We don’t want to let this event die down,” said volunteer Randy Shannon. “The numbers are down a little bit over the past few years, but we want to raise awareness and make sure people know what thus event is for.”

Shannon and his crew have been supporting events like this for about eight years. He said it’s always good to help, but specifically for One Winter Night, it means a lot more.

“We were box dwellers the first six [years], then the last couple we just committed to donate our time,” Shannon said. “A few of our members were actually homeless at one time.”

This year’s goal for C-U at Home is to raise $135,000. As of Friday night, they were already beating last year’s record with more than $70,000.

“This is a community that shows up for the most vulnerable people and that’s just always very moving,” Courtwright said.

She said if you’re someone who wants to support but is not interested in sleeping outside, there are still other ways you can donate such as dropping off money at the door or participating in the silent auction.