DENISON, TX -- Dozens of kids stayed over night a local park to bring attention to an ongoing issue.
Gabriella Martinez moved to a local shelter 3 weeks ago. The teen left her home to help make a better life for herself.
"I can go to college, and not have to deal with my home life and get better and just leave everything behind me and have a fresh new start," said Martinez.
From 6:30 p.m. Saturday to 6 a.m. Sunday, she left the warm shelter to join dozens of her peers to brave the elements for the 5th annual No Place to Go event put on by the North Texas Youth Connection and Texoma Homeless Coalition.
Martinez says they braved through the night to bring awareness to others who may not be as lucky as her.
"Its here and its like right in your back yard. Its not something that just is going to go away over night. We need people that are going to help us," said Martinez.
Kids from all around Texoma built their own shelters out of boxes, bringing with them only a sleeping bag and pillow.
"They've got it hard. I mean you think the economy is bad for us - I mean they're out on the streets," said participant, Matthew McCoy.
"5 years ago, e did a survey of homelessness in our county, and we found people in so many areas, under bridges of course, in the woods at night, behind stores and so we realized we did have a homeless problem," said Sharon Watson, Director of North Texas Youth Connection.
Watson says in the state of Texas, there are about 125,000 children without a home.
While the exercise did not compare to the real extent of homelessness, participants in the event got to see what it means to be homeless for a night.
"I'm very grateful for what I have and I'm going to try to give to those that are in need more," said Kylie Harlan.
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