COVENANT HOUSE
COVENANT HOUSE
A Movement To End Youth Homelessness
BY : STEVE RODERICK , ASSISTANT VICE PRESIDENT ,
JGS INSURANCE
Two years ago , I slept in the street in Philly . . .
Before I tell you the end of this story , let me give you some context .
Youth homelessness is pervasive in North America . It is estimated that 4.2 million youths and young adults experience homelessness each year . Of these , 700,000 do not have a family , parent , or guardian .
Young people experiencing homelessness are prime targets for human traffickers . Homelessness also vastly increases the chances that a youth will become dependent on substance use . There are many organizations doing a lot of good work to address the problem . One of them is Covenant House . It has developed a system to empower transition into working adult life and out of homelessness .
For over 40 years , Covenant House has been working to transform the lives of more than a million homeless , trafficked , and runaway youth through its residential housing program . Covenant House ’ s mission is to help kids who are suffering . Each chapter is guided by five principles : immediacy , sanctuary , value communication , structure , and choice .
Youths come into Covenant House on a long-or short-term basis to help them get back on their feet .
The goal is to support them and set them up to achieve a safe and rewarding career alongside a comfortable and healthy lifestyle . The program is also available to young parents .
This year , JGS Insurance and CAMCO Property Management — under the leadership of its President , Chris Maus — have joined forces to bring awareness and raise funds for this worthy cause .
Covenant House , through its many chapters , arranges sleepouts across the nation throughout the year . Sleepouts are targeted towards various groups not typically associated with homelessness , such as celebrities and company executives . The nature of a sleepout is to simulate homelessness for participants and to provide an opportunity to reflect on the discomfort of the experience and how they can contribute to ending it . Participants can look to friends and colleagues to raise funds for the event in advance .
Typically , sleepouts are held in a public outdoor location . This is how I ended up sleeping in the street in Philly .
Since the pandemic , sleepouts have continued to take place online , with participants simulating the experience of homelessness for one night on their own property . For example , David from JGS slept in his backyard .
Chris has been involved with Covenant House for years , and he is spearheading Philadelphia ’ s involvement in the initiative . He is the one who recruited JGS to get involved with the organization . As we move into the winter season , awareness of youth homelessness and support for programs like those provided by Covenant House are more important than ever .
The services provided by Covenant House are available 24 hours a day , seven days a week , 365 days a year . However , all of the organization ’ s youth empowerment and poverty reduction programs rely on donations from caring members of our communities . If you have the means to contribute this holiday season , we greatly encourage you to make a donation or participate in the next sleepout event near you . You can learn more about sleepout fundraisers and how you can help end youth homelessness at covenanthouse . org . +
When Steve Roderick entered the Insurance Industry he brought with him a completely new perspective . With over 20 years in the Marine Industry , it was evident that Steve was destined to fix things , whether it be procedures , operations , or anything else that crosses his desk . He works closely alongside business owners and property managers to solve their issues through exceptional customer service .
YOU CAN BE PART OF THE SOLUTION FOR YOUTH OVERCOMING HOMELESSNESS BY MAKING A DONATION TO OUR SLEEP OUT TEAM . DONATE TODAY !
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