The latest local news, weather and high school sports from the Heartland

OTTUMWA, IOWA -- Homelessness. It’s something that affects more people than we think and it’s right here in our very own community.

The Ottumwa Community Outreach Center in Ottumwa serves more than 1,500 people a year, providing a clean place to sleep and to eat.

To give people a glimpse into what being homeless feels like, the center will hold its annual sleep out at the Greater Ottumwa Park this Saturday night.

“Most of the time when you see someone whose homeless you can't tell by looking at them that they're homeless. And so therefore people don't believe it's a problem. It’s not like; most of the people that we have around here that are homeless aren't like the people that you see in the movies that are homeless. They’re not lying on the grates out in the street. They’re not pan-handling, their clothes aren't dirty. And so people don't realize that there is a problem,” said Yvonne Baldwin-Greene, Ottumwa Community Outreach Center.

Baldwin-Greene said $7 is how much it costs to provide shelter and food for one man to stay overnight at the center.

A $7 donation is asked of those that participate in the overnight at the park. Last year around 300 people attended and more than $7,000 was raised for the center.