November has been designated as Youth Homelessness Month, drawing attention to the pressing issue that affects numerous young lives across the United States. In Detroit, this problem is particularly severe, with a profound impact on Black children and teenagers. Each night in Detroit presents a formidable challenge, as over 18,000 individuals find themselves without a place to call home. Among them, 30% are classified as chronically unhoused, continuously grappling to secure stable shelter. What is even more disheartening is that 25% of those facing this dire predicament are children, enduring the harsh realities of being unhoused.
Covenant House, a nonprofit organization dedicated to helping unhoused youth, has been at the forefront of this fight for more than four decades. Among its many initiatives, the Covenant House Sleep Out stands out as an exceptional event that not only raises awareness but also provides crucial support for homeless young individuals striving to build a brighter future.
The Covenant House Sleep Out is an annual event that is both symbolic and impactful. It brings attention to the plight of unhoused youth and, equally importantly, raises funds to support the vital programs offered by Covenant House. Participants in the Sleep Out experience a glimpse of the hardships faced by young people who sleep on the streets, and they do so with a purpose – to ensure that vulnerable youth can sleep safely and comfortably. Michigan will hold their annual Sleep Out executive edition on Nov. 16-17 at their Detroit campus right in the heart of the city.
The Sleep Out Executive Edition is made achievable through the active participation of a committed community comprising executives, professional leaders, corporations, and individuals. Notable corporate partners such as Delta, Cisco, Accenture, and Tao Group Hospitality, in collaboration with various corporate groups, are uniting to raise awareness about homelessness and to explore ways to support our youth. These compassionate individuals are prepared to leave the comfort of their own beds for a single night, all to guarantee that vulnerable young people can find a secure place to sleep at Covenant House Detroit. This collective act of solidarity delivers a potent message – that homelessness should not determine the future of our youth.
Gail Perry-Mason, a Senior Director of Investments at Oppenheimer, is preparing for her seventh year participating in the annual sleep out event. Perry-Mason will be teaming up with First Independence bank to reach their goal and promote reducing homelessness among the youth in Detroit. This year, she’s embracing a new role as the co-chair of the executive edition, marking her inaugural experience in this leadership position.
Perry-Mason finds a deeply personal connection to this initiative, as she herself experienced homelessness during her youth. Her understanding of the many unhoused youth who have passed through the foster care system resonates with her on a profoundly personal level.
“The reason why it’s close to my heart is because growing up when I was younger, I was in foster care,” said Perry-Mason. “Once you talk to a lot of the youth, they have overcome so much, and all they want is a warm place to lay their head. It’s so many youths living under bypasses in the freeways and its so much we can do to bring awareness.”
Participating in Sleep Out is a unique and eye-opening experience designed to cultivate awareness, empathy, and understanding for the formidable challenges faced by unhoused youth. However, while raising awareness is crucial, it alone cannot address the issue. Sleep Out serves a dual purpose by generating vital funds that empower Covenant House to provide round-the-clock safety, shelter, and support to young individuals striving to overcome homelessness. By engaging in fundraising activities, Sleepers become an integral part of the solution for youth grappling with being unhoused.
“One night of sleeping out won’t save every youth in Detroit, but it will help with the bigger picture,” said Perry-Mason. “But even if we just touch one, that’s fine. If we could just change a few lives that could help, make a big difference. You before me is my strategy. We have to put others before us all the time. I think the sleep out is one of the best investments of my life.”
At Covenant House, the focus is not just on providing a roof over the heads of unhoused youth. Instead, the organization takes a holistic approach, offering a wide range of services designed to address the multifaceted challenges these young people face. These essential services encompass education, job training, medical care, mental health, and substance use counseling, and legal aid. By providing these resources, Covenant House aims to empower young people to break free from the cycle of homelessness and build independent, sustainable futures.
Youth homelessness, which encompasses individuals under the age of 25, remains an enduring and escalating concern within the city of Detroit. The city grapples with a distinctive array of obstacles, characterized by pervasive poverty, high unemployment rates, and a lack of accessible affordable housing options. These formidable challenges, intertwined with systemic disparities, have disproportionately impacted the lives of Black children and adolescents.
The statistics paint a grim picture of the challenges these young individuals face, but they also underscore the urgency of addressing the problem. Through comprehensive strategies that focus on affordable housing, support services, and prevention, we can work towards alleviating the suffering of these vulnerable youth and provide them with the opportunities and resources they need to break the cycle of homelessness. It’s time for Detroit to come together and ensure that every child in the city has a safe and stable place to call home.
Those hoping to support this year’s leaders and executives meet their goals while providing for the youth are asked to visit sleepout.org to donate or register for the event. By supporting Sleep Out this November, you are supporting the dreams of young people overcoming being unhoused and are an active participant in finding a solution to youth homelessness in the city.
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