TAMPA, Fla. (WFLA) — More than 150 teens slept outside Friday night, raising awareness for homelessness in the Tampa Bay region.

“Homelessness is an issue right now,” Hillsborough County Children’s Services Administrative Services Coordinator Craig Jewesak said. “Affordable housing is an issue.”

“But all of this has been exacerbated by the last two hurricanes that have come through the area,” he continued.

152 students slept outside in the cold on Friday, in temperatures into the high 40s.

“Getting uncomfortable is making it more real and making the cause overall more impactful,” Adeola Adeyemo with Hillsborough County Youth Leadership Council said.

Inaaya Firoz with Hillsborough County Youth Leadership Council added, “Please understand that not everyone is living in circumstances like you and just try your best to be understanding with everyone around you because unfortunately, not everyone has the comforts that you enjoy.”

The idea is to not only spread awareness about homelessness but to get a glimpse into what it’s like.

What better night to do that than a chilly Friday night in Tampa?

“It just helps, even more, to know they’re out here in winter all year round,” Tampa Catholic High School student Kirstan Lyle explained.

Homelessness can take on different forms.

Some youth sleep in cars while others move from place to place.

City leaders said, there are also a large number of teens aging out of foster care who don’t have the tools to house themselves.

That’s why this event is not only educating the community about the issues at hand but also on how they can help.

“Especially as a teen right now, I feel like our generation is seen as ignorant and lazy at times and I think it’s so important for us to realize there are people out here who are our age who also deserve a chance for education and everything else so that they can turn their own life around,” Poojitha Palaniswany with Hillsborough County Youth Leadership Council said.

“It’s definitely a way to challenge my perspective as somebody who is fortunate enough to not deal with this kind of circumstance on a daily and weekly basis,” Hillsborough County Youth Leadership Council President Lauren Kimball explained. “It’s very important to me to challenge my perspective on not only homelessness but homelessness in our area when they’re something we can tangibly do about it.”

For more information on homelessness resources in Hillsborough County, click here.

The Tampa Hillsborough Homeless Initiative also has services that can help, here.