Shantytown was begun as a mission to raise awareness for homelessness in Ames and the surrounding communities. The goal of this event is to raise awareness of homelessness in Ames and to raise support for our local shelter. Through Shantytown we hope to enable residents and local businesses from the Ames community to become actively involved in the process of raising awareness either by sponsoring an individual or team that will spend the night outside or by joining a team that will raise awareness for the homeless of Ames by spending the night outside in a cardboard shanty.