Fresno Mission CEO spending 24 hours on bench to address homelessness

FRESNO, Calif. (KFSN) -- The leader of the Fresno Mission is embarking on a unique effort to address homelessness in our communities.

At 3 pm on Wednesday, CEO Matt Dildine sat down for his "Conversations on a Bench" project.

For the next 24 hours straight, Dildine will stay on the bench outside in the cold to talk with anyone who will listen about the ongoing crisis in the Central Valley and possible solutions.

The Fresno Mission also provided a live feed, which you can watch on the non-profit's website, Facebook and YouTube channels.

Using the hashtag 'Bench talks,' you can even participate in the conversation.

The Fresno Mission says the discussions will shine a light on the severity of the issue in Fresno County and hopefully lead to finding solutions to homelessness.

On Wednesday night, dozens of people will sleep out in the cold.

Dildine says he hopes this 24-hour project will also foster understanding that leads to comprehensive solutions for ending this crisis.