New Opportunity to Help Youth Experiencing Homelessness during COVID-19 Pandemic

NEW YORK, April 20, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- In response to the COVID-19 pandemic and the growing need to ensure the 4.2 million young people across the country experiencing homelessness receive the shelter, support, and services they need, Covenant House is hosting its first national digital Sleep Out America on April 24.  The nonprofit organization is also offering opportunities for individuals, families and groups to organize their own quarantine-based Sleep Out to raise awareness and support for youth homelessness.

"COVID-19 has reached our shelters, and despite all of the odds we are facing, Covenant House is continuing to provide care to youth overcoming homelessness and to keep kids healthy. Our national Sleep Out America campaign helps ensure we can continue to do this important work," said Covenant House President & CEO Kevin Ryan.

Funds raised from Sleep Out America go directly to food, clothing, shelter, healthcare, education, job training, and short and long-term housing for homeless youth.

People facing homelessness are more susceptible to the coronavirus and are also likely to get much sicker or die than people who are stably housed. Some estimates suggest transmission rates in households are above 80%, making youth living in congregant homeless shelters particularly at risk. 

Youth facing homelessness are at greater risk because they are still developing physically, cognitively, psychologically, and emotionally, and often lack health insurance, resulting in health problems going unchecked, medication being beyond their reach, and even minor untreated infections morphing into a major health emergency. 

The digital Sleep Out America event, which will begin online at 8PM EST on April 24, will feature live updates from front-line staff and youth at Covenant House shelters across the country, Covenant House President Kevin Ryan, interactive activities for families and individuals, and surprise guests.

To join the national, digital Sleep Out America on April 24, 2020 or create a digital Sleep Out event on a different day with family, friends, church or community groups, co-workers, classmates, or other affiliated groups visit: www.sleepoutamerica.org

Covenant House provides individuals and groups with recommendations for how to structure a Sleep Out and a list of suggested activities to make the experience memorable, meaningful, and fun.

To date, Sleep Out America has raised more than $500,000 which has been used to provide 4,000 youth with stable housing, 1,600 youth with employment opportunities, and 720,000 nights of shelter.

More than 3.5 million young adults ages 18 to 25 and 700,000 adolescent minors ages 13 to 17 experience a form of homelessness in the course of a year.  Youth homelessness affects urban and rural youth at similar levels.

Contact: Anat Gerstein, [email protected], 646-321-4400

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SOURCE Covenant House