Home Sweet Home Ministries
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Participant Instructions

SCHEDULE

7:00pm                                Check-in on Zoom (Zoom Invitation below)

7:30pm                                 Welcome and Instructions for Activity Packets

7:45pm                                  Prayer/Send off

8:00pm-12:00 am:           “The Night in a Car Experience” w/ Zoom chat available

6:00 am:                              Final Message from Todd

 

Zoom Meeting Invitation:

Home Sweet Home Ministries is inviting you to a scheduled Zoom meeting.

Topic: Welcome to Night In A Car

Time: Feb 5, 2021 07:00 PM Central Time (US and Canada)

Join Zoom Meeting

https://zoom.us/j/96557154449?pwd=bld4YU1ObFYxSGFxNHIvQU1tVHN1Zz09

Meeting ID: 965 5715 4449

Passcode: 648988

One tap mobile

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Dial by your location

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Meeting ID: 965 5715 4449

Passcode: 648988

Find your local number: https://zoom.us/u/aea7LqnF5u

 

CHECK-IN INSTRUCTIONS

For those checking in at Trinity Lutheran Church:

  • Parking Lot Attendants will be available to assist you starting at 6:30pm.  The parking lot sits behind the church.  When you arrive at Trinity Lutheran Church (801 S. Madison St., Bloomington) you will be given parking instructions.  You will then log-in to the Zoom invitation (see above) to let us know you have arrived and your parking lot number.

For those checking in from other locations:

  • Between 7:00-7:30 pm, register by letting us know you have joined us in the Zoom chat.  The Zoom invitation is listed above.

 

T-Shirt and Activity Packet Pick-Up Instructions, Times, and Location:

Unless you have chosen to opt-out of receiving the NIAC ’21 t-Shirt, each participant will receive a long-sleeve t-shirt and one activity packet per car.  Even if you have opted out of the t-shirt, each team still needs an activity packet.  The activity packet contains a homelessness simulation that teams and individuals can utilize during the night.  Instructions for this activity packet will be given at 7:30pm over Zoom.

Team Leaders, unless you have indicated that you need us to mail your t-shirts and activity packets, please pick-up the t-shirts and activity packets for your entire team at Home Sweet Home Ministries (303 E. Oakland Ave., Bloomington) between the hours of 10:00am-2:00pm or 5:00-7:00pm on February 2, 3, and 4th.  Please go to the entrance on Mission Drive for curbside assistance.  You will find a sign by the entrance.  When you arrive, simply text your team name to 309-826-9944.      

NOTE:  We will be asking you to send us team pictures during the event.  While it is not required, it would be great if you and your team members were able to wear the NIAC shirts for these pictures.  Before or during the event, you can make arrangements to deliver your team participant’s t-shirts and activity packets.

 

Please follow the following COVID-19 Precautions:

This year many participants are choosing to participate in their vehicle solo or only with members of their immediate family.  We believe this is the safest and wisest approach.  If your team members decide to join together within the same vehicle, please make sure to:

  • Conduct a temperature check of each participant.  If any participant has a fever at or above 100.4 degrees Fahrenheit, they should go home.
  • Ask each participant if they have been exposed to anyone who has tested positive for COVID-19 or if they or others have experienced any of the following symptoms within the past 10 days:
    • Chills, fatigue, muscle or body aches, new onset severe headache, loss of taste or smell, sore throat, congestion or runny nose, nausea or vomiting, or diarrhea.
  • Additionally, we recommend that team members who are participating in the same car should wear masks for the duration of the event.

 

What is “The Night in a Car Experience”?

We have set aside 8:00 pm to Midnight for you to join us on Zoom to chat or ask questions and to watch pre-recorded videos (located on nightinacar.org) from the HSHM staff.  These videos will teach interesting and important information regarding the experiences of those who work with our HSHM residents and the surrounding community whose lives are trauma-informed.  We trust that these videos will enlarge your understanding and passion for caring for people in your community and will lead to rich reflection and/or discussion.

During this time or at some other point during the night you can also enjoy the simulation in your activity pack and take advantage of “Story Time w/ Michelle” from Team Bookmobile Babes.  The story time video can be found at nightinacar.org.

 

Fundraising during the event:

During the event itself you may want to take advantage of Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, snapchat, or other forms of social media by posting on your experience and donation goal progress.  You can send your family and friends to nightinacar.org to donate on your team page.  Take advantage of posting pictures of your team and sharing your experience. It’s not too late to meet and surpass your donation goal. Be creative!  You can also initiate some fun challenges.

  • Ask a family member or friend to match the donations of others up to a certain amount.
  • Volunteer to do something silly like singing a song at the top of your lungs or dancing with reckless abandon IF you receive a certain amount by a certain time.
  • We’ve even had past participants like Team Connect Transit offer to shave their head if they raise what they need by a certain time. 
    • NOTE:  We’re not suggesting this…BUT…we’re not NOT suggesting this either.
  • You are fun and incredibly creative.  You can do it!!

 

FOR THOSE CHECKING-IN AT TRINITY LUTHERAN CHURCH

Bathroom Facilities…Water…Coffee…Hot Chocolate…Book Table:

For those who are joining us at Trinity Lutheran Church, there will be a marked entrance behind the church that leads into the gym.  That’s where you’ll find us!!  We can direct you to bathroom facilities.  These facilities will be sanitized regularly throughout the event.  Please wear a mask as you enter the building.  (Note:  This entrance has three stairs that lead down to the gym.  An entrance with only one stair is close-by on the left corner of the building.)

You will also find water available throughout the event.  Coffee and Hot Chocolate will be available from 7:00 pm-Midnight and from 5:00-7:00 am.  

We are also pleased that Bloomington Library’s Bookmobile will be present and participating in NIAC.  Inside the gym there will be a book table with many books that deal with the needs of the homeless and our community as well as an opportunity to register for a library card if you do not have one.

 

If you are bringing donations to the event:

If you have donations that have not been submitted to nightinacar.org, please bring all cash and checks into the gym.  Make sure that checks are made out to Home Sweet Home Ministries and that the memo of the check says “Night in a Car” with your team name.

NOTE:  We would like to have all NIAC donations received no later than Friday, February 12th.

 

A quick word about security:

Along with alerting the Bloomington Police Department that the event will be taking place, volunteers from HSHM will parole the parking lot throughout the night.  If you have any needs or concerned, please call Todd Keller at 309-826-9944.  If there is an immediate threat or emergency, call 911.

 

What is the wifi password at Trinity Lutheran Church?

John3:16