On August 19, 2019, more than 60 caring members from the Broadway and Hollywood community will be sleeping on the streets of New York City in support of young people overcoming homelessness at the Covenant House Sleep Out: Stage and Screen.
"It is an event that will profoundly change the life of anyone who participates, and I'm honored and excited to be sleeping out again," says Emmy, Golden Globe and SAG award-winning Rachel Brosnahan, a member of the Sleep Out Executive Committee and Covenant House International Board, who will be sleeping out for the seventh time. "This Sleep Out is not about simulating homelessness, but about uniting in solidarity with the 4.2 million young people who experience homelessness each year."
Rachel will be joined by Tony-award winning actress Stephanie Block-Arcelus, a long-time supporter of Covenant House, and a returning Sleep Out participant. "I am sleeping out again for youth overcoming homelessness because I know how blessed I am and how much I have been blessed by the kids at Covenant House," said Stephanie. "I am committed to helping these kids reach their bright futures."
"I love this event because participants get to meet some of the Covenant House kids, so homeless youth are no longer the distant, camouflaged strangers we too often pass on the streets," said Tony, Grammy, and Emmy Award winner Audra McDonald who also volunteers her time on the Sleep Out Executive Committee and the Covenant House International Board. "Each time I've slept out, I've found that the young people are genuinely touched that anyone would take even one night out of their lives to care, and that is what this Sleep Out movement is all about. It is a life-changing, life-affirming event."
Rachel, Audra and Stephanie will be joined by Ariana DeBose, currently playing Anita in West Side Story, as well as many more stars, directors, technicians, and behind-the-scenes professionals at the top of their careers who are reaching out to youth facing homelessness in this inspiring, personal way. For a complete list of participants, please visitwww.sleepout.org.
"We are so honored to have Rachel, Audra, Stephanie, and all of these amazing, talented people from Broadway and Hollywood in our Sleep Out Movement," says Kevin Ryan, President and CEO of Covenant House. "The stage and screen community are our biggest champions ... the unity they display when come together in solidarity on this night shows how dedicated they are to ending youth homelessness. These are people who give so freely of their time and talent. Their love is oxygen to our young people at Covenant House."
The Sleep Out is a one-night fundraising event, beginning with the young people of Covenant House meeting and speaking with the Broadway community at the Javits Center on 655 W 34th St. Sleep Out: Stage and Screen Sleep Out participants will then receive cardboard boxes, sleeping bags and a piece of pavement for the night.
The Sleep Out Executive Committee of Rachel Brosnahan, Audra McDonald, Jeff Calhoun, Stephanie Block-Arcelus, Darius de Haas, Angela Grovey, Diana DiMenna, Sam Pinkleton, and Rachel Sussman have rallied together the entire Stage and Screen community to fight youth homelessness and human trafficking.
Sleep Out: Stage and Screen will be held on August 19th, 2019. To get involved, contact Colleen Veldt at sleepout@covenanthouse.org or dial (212) 727-4990.
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