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News Archives
November 8, 2006 -- BRIGHT LIGHTS, BRIGHT FUTURES
For Immediate Release 16th Annual Covenant House NY Candlelight Vigil for homless youth held in Times Square New York – Parading down the streets of Manhattan, more than two hundred homeless and at-risk youth will meet at Times Square on Thursday, November 16 to bring attention to the plight of homelessness to the City of New York. Now in its 16th year, Covenant House New York Candlelight Vigil will begin its ceremony at 5:30pm, with inspirational testimonies from youth about the struggles faced while homeless and ways in which the general public can support the cause to end homelessness. This year’s event coincides with National Hunger and Homelessness Awareness Week (November 12 -18).
“I believe it is very important to continue raising awareness of homelessness, especially when it is centered on our young people,” said Bruce J. Henry, Executive Director of Covenant House New York. “This being our 16th year hosting a Candlelight Vigil is a clear example that homelessness continues to be a major issue in society, in particular in New York City. On November 16, we will light the streets of Manhattan for those youth still struggling to make it and honor those who have been able to remove themselves from the streets and into a more stable environment.”
Working with the homeless population between the ages of 18 -21, Covenant House New York remains the leading childcare agency assisting youth in obtaining employment, receiving a high school diploma or GED, and finding permanent affordable housing. Young adults in this age range begin to age out of the foster care system while remaining too young to attend adult shelters. Without the proper skills and ability to live on their own, Covenant House New York is the opportunity that many youth have as means for developing self-sufficiency and independence.
National Hunger and Homelessness Awareness Week is an annual event that takes place one week before Thanksgiving. Co-sponsored by National Coalition for the Homeless and the National Student Campaign Against Hunger and Homelessness, National Hunger and Homelessness Awareness Week brings together schools, communities and cities in a nationwide effort to bring greater awareness to the problems of hunger and homelessness. For more information about National Hunger and Homelessness Awareness Week, visit www.nationalhomeless.org. About Covenant House New York (www.covenanthouseny.org)
Covenant House New York, incorporated in 1972, is the largest privately funded childcare agency in New York City, providing shelter and other basic services to homeless and at-risk youth between the ages of 18-21. In addition to food, shelter, clothing, and crisis care, Covenant House New York provides health care, education, vocational preparation, drug abuse treatment and prevention programs, legal services, mother/child programs, transitional living programs, street outreach, and aftercare. In FY2005, more than 5,000 youth received services from Covenant House New York.
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