One Night in a Box 2025

ZANESVILLE, Ohio – Trulight Ministries is a local organization that interacts with the homeless in the community and witnesses their struggles firsthand.

Each year they hold a public fundraising event that ministers to the homeless, while offering the public a chance to experience a few of the hardships that the homeless find routine. 

“We are planning our 10th Annual ‘One Night in a Box’ fundraising event. And what that event will do is hopefully bring awareness to the homeless that we have in our community and also raise funds for our homeless ministry that we provide here,” Trulight Ministries Pastor Ed Swartz said.

The evening will begin with free refreshments along with an opportunity to harmonize in worship with a live band before Guest Speaker Seth Hall from the Salvation Army shares an encouraging message.

“And then around 10 O’clock, we’ll begin handing out boxes and you know various people will have signed up or registered to participate that night and they’ll be here to sleep in a box overnight. And just to let everybody, I guess experience what it would be like if they were homeless for a night. And some of the homeless don’t even have the cardboard box and so they have to just kind of sleep out in the elements. We’ve been asked, “What if it rains, and I’m like, if it rains, we’re sleeping out in a box in the rain,” Swartz said.

One Night in a Box will take place 7 p.m. Friday, August 22nd, at 807 Putnam Avenue. Proceeds from the event will help to provide hygiene products and services for those in need. Anyone interested in participating, sponsoring participants or donating can learn more by visiting Trulight Ministries online.