In order to educate the community on homelessness and raise funds for the cause, Family Promise of Greater Phoenix hosts Cardboard City from Oct. 19 at 5 p.m. to Oct. 20 at 8 a.m. in Scottsdale. The annual awareness and fundraising event serves to educate the community by encouraging participants to live for one evening under the stars in their own cardboard home. Nearly 500 participants are expected to take part and build their own cardboard homes (like the pictured cardboard castle) to benefit Family Promise of Greater Phoenix.

Facts about family homelessness in Phoenix:

• There are an estimated 4,004 homeless families in greater Phoenix
• There are approximately 5,800 homeless children, 78 percent of whom are under the age of 12
• 1 in every 271 people in Maricopa County are homeless
• 72 percent of the families served by Family Promise of Greater Phoenix obtain housing in eight weeks, helping them achieve sustainable independence