Yankee Stadium Opens Gates for Youth Overcoming Homelessness on November 14

On November 14th, Yankee Stadium will transform from the world’s most iconic ballpark into a beacon of hope for young people overcoming homelessness.

That’s when Yankees General Manager Brian Cashman will join over 200 other leaders to sleep at the Stadium, leaving their beds for sleeping bags and cardboard boxes donated by Clancy Relocation and Logistics. Cashman, along with sleep out participants and Covenant House representatives, will be made available to media (details at the end of this release.)

It is the ninth annual Covenant House Sleep Out: Executive Edition and the goal is to raise $10 million at 19 Sleep Outs in Covenant House cities from November 14th through November 25th for the 33,000 young people who will experience homelessness in New York City this year, and the 4.2 million young people who will experience homelessness across the United States.

“The Yankees organization is proud to open the gates of Yankee Stadium for this important night of advocacy and fundraising for young people who have had a tough start in life,” said Cashman, a member of the Covenant House International Board of Directors who will be sleeping out in support of this event for a ninth consecutive year. “More and more we hear about the crisis of homelessness in New York City and throughout the country. This Sleep Out — and the mission of Covenant House — is part of a movement to end youth homelessness.

“This is not about pretending to be homeless,” said Cashman. “We know one night sleeping on the ground at Yankee Stadium is nothing like what youth overcoming homelessness on the streets go through every night. But with the awareness and funds we raise at this event, we can save the lives of more kids. It happens every day at Covenant House. I’ve seen it.”

“These amazing Sleep Out: Executive Edition participants will sleep out in solidarity with our kids so that all young people can be protected, be safe, go to school, find jobs, find long-term housing,” said Covenant House President & CEO Kevin Ryan, who after sleeping out at the Stadium will participate in Sleep Outs in Atlanta and San Jose in the same week. “We are so grateful to Brian Cashman and the whole Yankees organization for this amazing show of hands-on support.”

Covenant House is also grateful to our National Sleep Out Presenting Sponsor, Delta Air Lines, for helping us build our movement to help more young people overcome homelessness. Delta executives have participated in the Sleep Out movement for seven years, including hosting their own corporate Sleep Out at their headquarters in Atlanta on November 22.

“I’m humbled and proud to be sleeping on the streets in support of Covenant House youth again this year,” said Patty Ornst, Managing Director-Government Affairs. “Delta is honored to support and participate in Sleep Outs in Atlanta, Detroit, Los Angeles, and South Florida, raising awareness of the incredible movement Covenant House is leading to help homeless and trafficked young people build the lives they deserve.”

Cisco Systems has the largest national corporate team this year with approximately 600 Sleep Out participants sleeping out in 13 cities.

“Giving back is in Cisco’s DNA, and the homelessness crisis is a cause we’re passionate about,” said Mark Dodds, Senior Vice President of Global Enterprise Segment, Americas. “We’re thrilled to partner with Covenant House to help young people move from homelessness to independence. What started with a few employees six years ago has grown into a movement with more than 600 Cisconians participating. Our goal is to raise over $1 million so that Covenant House can provide shelter, food, clothing and essential resources to kids facing homelessness across the U.S., Canada and Latin America. All kids think about the future. Covenant House gives these kids the safety to think about their future optimistically so that their story will be about what they’ll become instead of what has happened to them.”

Covenant House’s nationwide Executive Sleep Out includes National Corporate Teams from Accenture, Bridge Investment Group, Cisco Systems, Delta Air Lines, JP Morgan Chase, KPMG, and TAO Cares.

Sleep Out: Executive Edition will be followed on November 22nd by the third annual Covenant House Sleep Out America, presented by Delta Air Lines, in which people of all ages and backgrounds will leave the warmth of their beds and the comfort of their homes to sleep outside, just like thousands of kids facing homelessness have to every night. This event would not be possible without our sponsors, Delta Air Lines and Leesa Sleep.

“More people are signing up every day to sleep out in their backyards, with their community or church groups, and with co-workers,” said Ryan. “People from all walks of life all across the country have signed up to sleep out to raise money and awareness to the tragic fact that in the year 2019, there are millions of brave, resilient young people in the fight of their lives to overcome homelessness and trafficking.”

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