If you could name the essentials needed for basic survival, what are the first things that come to mind?
Maybe it’s food. Or perhaps a good night’s rest. What about one simple idea. Love.
Krista Thompson, Executive Director of Covenant House Vancouver elaborated on the need for love and compassion for one another Friday morning on Breakfast Television Vancouver as we reflected on the 3rd Annual Covenant House Vancouver SleepOut event. When you know people around you care, it makes a world of difference and above all can give someone in need a sense of hope and belonging.
Years ago, together with my good friend Jason Sarai and co-founder from 1Karma, we decided to get personal with how we give back. There are infinite possibilities on how to fulfill this objective, but Covenant House Vancouver provided a platform with their annual SleepOut experience. When your sleeping bag is reduced to a soggy burrito and you attempt to use cardboard built forts to shield your face from the relentless Vancouver rain, you begin to appreciate the simple things. That and you’re lucky if you get more than an hour of sleep during the night.
The SleepOut is uncomfortable to say the least. It does however give a small and informative glimpse of a much greater understanding of our youth and the support they need to get off the streets and continue on a positive path.
Hats off to all of the participants in this year’s event and to the staff at Covenant House for the vital work they do for our city’s youth. The possibilities of their presence and the love they provide are infinite.
Covenant House Vancouver’s SleepOut saw 39 sleepers join together to raise over $385,000 for their Crisis Program.
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