CHARLOTTE -- Friday night, a group of UNC Charlotte students became homeless, spending the evening outside to feel up close and personal the daily uncertainty thousands in the Charlotte region face on a daily basis.

Despite the fact that rain followed by snow is just hours away, UNCC’s Phi Beta Sigma fraternity spent the night raising both awareness and goods for their 20th Sleeping Out for the Homeless event.

"We are out here for one night from 6 p.m. to 6 a.m., while they are out here for weeks and months at a time,” said Korey Lockett. “It gets colder and colder as the night goes on, you realize that these people may be out there and this is happening every night."

Senior social work major Andre Harvey said the night is more than a wake up call. It’s also a call for action. Since 2002, Mecklenburg County’s homeless rate has gone up 60 percent, with an estimated 8,000 people a night without a place to call home.

"It's really amazing to see how cold it gets and how the homeless have to survive every night,” said Harvey. "It's a real good feeling knowing that, even on a Friday night, we can be out here helping."

Volunteers said the best part about Saturday morning is, after spending 12 hours outside, they’ll head to drop off clothing and canned goods.

"The people that couldn't get in [to the shelter], or got in too late, they up there, and they see us come in four of five cars deep with cardboard boxes of cloths, and they're faces light up. There's nothing greater than seeing that you've helped somebody,” said Harvey.

Last year, organizers said the Sleep Out for the Homeless drew about 500 people during the 12-hour event.