Above: Many participants in Cardboard City in Mobile take care to dress up their homes for the night. (contributed)

A crowd of about 200 will sleep under the stars in downtown Mobile Saturday night, but don’t expect s’mores and campfire tales.

Participants make the most of their time while raising money at Cardboard City. (contributed)

Participants in the annual event, known as Cardboard City, will spend the evening in makeshift shelters near the Alabama School of Math and Science to raise awareness about – and funds for – homelessness in the Azalea City. Specifically, they are asked to fashion temporary housing out of cardboard at the high-traffic corner of Dauphin and Ann streets and then spend the night in their creations as a means of keeping the homelessness issue in the public eye.

“Rent” to sleep in the homemade, two-person structures is $100 with proceeds benefiting both the Sybil H. Smith Family Village, an outreach of Dumas Wesley Community Center, and Family Promise of Coastal Alabama.

“Every family deserves a safe place to call home,” said Diane McCaskey, co-chairman for Cardboard City. “Family Promise of Coastal Alabama and Sybil H. Smith Family Village want to be that safe place for families struggling with homelessness, providing the support they need until they find their real home.

The Sybil H. Smith Family Village is a transitional housing program for women or women and children. Year-to-date, the village has served 51 adults and children representing 21 families. Family Promise of Coastal Alabama provides shelter, meals and support services to families without homes, using a network of faith congregations. To date, the organization has served 115 adults and children representing 32 families in 2015.

Both agencies use the Cardboard City funds to cover ongoing expenses such as bus passes, gasoline, childcare and medication.

“The amazing visitors at Cardboard City show us that the community believes in strong families and believes in what we do. Every dime raised provides direct service for families who need it most,” McCaskey said.

Although the program starts at 7 p.m., the public is also invited to participate in a human chain beginning at 3 p.m.

Dumas Wesley spokeswoman Joni Hendee said the human chain, as part of the event’s 10th anniversary, allows supporters to “stand in solidarity to raise awareness about homelessness and Cardboard City.” There is no charge to join in the event.

Participants from last year’s Cardboard City in Mobile. (contributed)

Hendee said “car camping” will also be offered for the first time, but “rent” for vehicles will cost $150 for the night and is limited to two people per car.

“It gives participants a glimpse of what it feels like for many families we serve that have to spend many nights in their car,” she said.

In addition, a memorial will be held “remembering all the individuals who passed away in the midst of homelessness over the past 10 years,” Hendee said.

The 2014 Cardboard City attracted about 125 participants and raised $10,200 after expenses. A separate but similar Cardboard City event is held in the spring in Baldwin County.

According to the most recent point-in-time count conducted in January, an estimated 640 men, women and children are without shelter in the Mobile area on any given night. But organizers know that number is actually much higher.

Click here to learn more about Cardboard City.