MONTCLAIR, NJ – On March 6th, 2020 Covenant House New Jersey (CHNJ) supporters from across Essex County along with the members of the Junior League of Montclair-Newark (JLMN) will trade their beds for a box and sleeping bag to help raise awareness and funds for the thousands of youth CHNJ serves each year. The Sleep Out will be held at the Montclair Women’s Club. CHNJ is proud to be partnering with the JLMN as they strive to promote the safety and well being of the children in the Montclair- Newark Community. The Sleep Out Movement is an opportunity for people to come together and make an immediate and lasting impact on the homeless young people who are served by Nancy’s Place and our Supportive Apartment Program, located in Montclair. Both of these life-altering programs are part of CHNJ.
While the Sleep Out does include taking a piece of cardboard and a sleeping bag into a parking lot or along a strip of sidewalk, the Sleep Out is not about pretending to be homeless. It’s about showing a group of kids unconditional love and absolute respect – proving that you care enough about them to be uncomfortable for one night, to be vulnerable so they can be safe.
Janette Scrozzo, Director of Development of Covenant House New Jersey, shared “We are inspired and grateful to the Junior League of Montclair-Newark. These amazing women are committed and passionate about serving homeless and trafficked youth in their own backyards. The Sleep Out sends an important message to homeless and trafficked young people that they are not alone and people truly care”. The funds raised by Sleep Out participants are put to work immediately, keeping the lights on and the doors open for the thousands of kids who will seek help this year and to support our Montclair programs.
“The JLMN has had the privilege of forming a community partnership with Covenant House of New Jersey to further extend our ability to better educate our members and the community around the issues of homeless and trafficked youth in the area as well as the substantial link between foster care and homelessness. We are very motivated to lend our support and compassion to the young people that CHNJ serves” said Stephanie Hutton, JLMN President.
To learn more about Covenant House New Jersey and the Sleep Out Movement, please join us on Thursday, January 30th, from 7:00 pm – 9:00 pm at The Cornerstone at 198 Bellevue Avenue, Montclair, NJ. Please RSVP to ToniMarie at tdipietro@covenanthouse.org or 973-286-3425.
Or for more information please contact Janette Scrozzo, jscrozzo@covenanthouse.org or Stephanie Hutton at president@jlmn.org
To register to sleep out please contact ToniMarie DiPietro at tdipietro@covenanthouse.org or 973-286-3425 or follow this link… https://www.sleepout.org/event/MontclairCommunity
Tonight alone, they will give over 200 homeless adolescents throughout the state a safe and caring place to live in North and South Jersey. Another dozen will be found by the Outreach teams on the street or walk through the doors of our Crisis Centers for the first time. More information can be found at covenanthousenj.org