my backyard with the CBA cross country team and other CBA peers,” Ben reflects. Collectively, they raised over $10,000 for the Covenant House Asbury Park chapter that year. FUTURE OF COVENANT HOUSE Both Ben and John continued fundraising for the Covenant House at CBA and St. Rose until they graduated. Since then, Will has brought the Covenant House’s mission back to CBA and will continue to do so until he graduates in a couple of years. Will recalls one sleepout in particular being influential to him and his community, “I held an event with close to sixty kids for the Covenant House student sleepout in Asbury Park. Three local high schools raised a collective $120 thousand with all of the other chapters who were hosting.” Even though John graduated high school this past year, he plans to bring the organization to Providence College. In doing so, he hopes to unite a new community around the cause, proving that one person’s commitment can ignite change, not just at home, but wherever they go. GET INVOLVED Sadly, homelessness continues to be a growing problem. Last year, New Jersey experienced a 24% increase in homelessness from the year before. You can help. Getting involved can be as simple as becoming informed and raising awareness. Keep a look out for upcoming sleepouts happening locally. You can even reach out to the Covenant House New Jersey chapter itself, if you’d like to organize your own sleepout. Change starts with you. Continue the work the Pattersons, and many other students, have started in fundraising for youth homelessness.
FROM HOMELESSNESS TO HOPE Students Rebuild Futures with The Covenant House RUTH CRAWFORD
V olunteerism can have a significant impact on a community. All it takes is one person to want to make a change, that inspires others to follow suit. Students across the globe like Ben, John, and Will Patterson have brought communities of peers together in working with the Covenant House. The Covenant House is a youth homelessness organization that fundraises for human trafficking and homelessness by hosting sleepouts at high schools across the country. These sleepouts fundraise for communities in different areas, creating jobs, shelter, and food for individuals who are less fortunate.
and other schools around the area to host his first sleepout. The sleepout was hosted in Atlantic City, and although the weather wasn’t ideal, the students persevered and raised one-thousand dollars for the cause. Ever since then, Ben knew he wanted to continue his work with the organization and give the community insight into how homelessness affects individuals everywhere. Even during the pandemic, Ben was not to be deterred. “I reached out to the Covenant House local Chapter of New Jersey and asked how I could help them with the youth homelessness that were without homes during the pandemic. I hosted a virtual sleep out in
The Patterson brothers are all student ambassadors for the organization, and have raised awareness and funds for youth homelessness throughout their high school careers, paving the way for younger generations to want to volunteer too. HOW DID IT ALL START? Since 1972, the Covenant House has had its doors open for individuals in need. Ben Patterson first heard about the organization when he was a freshman in high school through a family friend. Immediately, he knew he wanted to be involved. Using Facebook to spread the word, Ben gathered a community of peers from Christian Brothers Academy
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