Homelessness increases yearly. Not many people are willing to give back to those in need, but students from Montclair State University aren’t afraid to step up.
On March 6, campus organizations like the Black Student Union, Mexican-American Student Organization and the Association of Latino Professionals for America attended the Women Unite Event, a sleep out hosted by Covenant House NJ. Participants gave up their beds in solidarity with youth who face homelessness.
Not only did these students step outside of their comfort zone by sleeping outside in the cold, but they managed to raise $10,000 for the Covenant House, surpassing their original goal of $5,000.
Nereida Delgado Garcia is the Volunteer Coordinator at Montclair State’s Office of Community Engagement and Partnerships. After hearing about Covenant House’s work, she believed it was essential for students to get involved in the sleep out.
“We thought it’d be a good initiative, because when you have the luxury of knowing where you’re going to sleep, it puts perspective on how privileged you are,” Garcia said.
While Garcia feels that there aren’t enough people giving back due to negative stigmas, she believes that events like this can make a change when it comes to homelessness.
Not only did these students step outside of their comfort zone by sleeping outside in the cold, but they managed to raise $10,000 for the Covenant House, surpassing their original goal of $5,000. Photo credit: Ashley Jimenez
“During the event, we heard testimonies from former youth who graduated from their programs and are now more stable,” Garcia said. “This helps those currently in the program because they can relate and receive support.”
Garcia believes that fundraising can be complex, and is proud of what students accumulated. She commends everyone who chose to participate because it wasn’t mandatory. Students still took it upon themselves to join for a good cause.
Moving forward, Garcia plans to continue giving back by working alongside different organizations that uplift the community.
Headshot of Samantha Almonte. Photo credit: Samantha Almonte
Samantha Almonte is a senior majoring in public health. Almonte shared that the communication aspect of the event was a challenge because this was her first time coordinating for a significant number of people. However, the event gained traction thanks to the connections Montclair State has to organizations like the Community Action Alliance.
Almonte believes that people need to have a different mindset when addressing homelessness.
“Homelessness is important to learn about,” Almonte said. “People don’t think that homelessness is common, especially among young people, but the person next to you could be sleeping in their car before going to class.”
The initial goal was to raise $5,000 because students thought that people wouldn’t show up to contribute during spring break, but the results that Almonte saw astonished her.
Students passionately holding a sign at the Covenant House. Photo credit: Samantha Almonte
“The organization surprised me; they were constantly reaching out to people and emailing professors, so the fact that we got to $10,000 is amazing.”
Almonte wants to help people through the healthcare system. She is glad that she got involved with this event because it showed her that she has much to be thankful for.
“I understand what they have to do to survive,” Almonte said. “It was rough and cold. We had the opportunity to tap out, but we stuck it out through the night.”
Mikaela Guzman is a graduate student in higher education. She is the leader and service coordinator of the Bonner Leader Program. Guzman volunteered at prior sleep outs, and wanted to do something different this time around.
“Some community members housed by Covenant House were students at Montclair, and we’re touched by the work they’re doing to combat youth homelessness,” said Guzman.
“We wanted to get involved in a different capacity,” Guzman said. “I’ve been doing community engagement events my whole life, but this one moved me. They were not just housing kids, but were making sure they feel supported.”
While Guzman believes that the Covenant House is doing a good job supporting youth in need, she thinks the economy and lack of assistance from family play a role in homelessness.
“How does a kid go to school,” Guzman asked, “when they don’t know where they’re gonna live or where their next meal is coming from? Some youth have difficult situations. It’s sad to see, but I think Covenant House is doing a lot to combat that.”
Guzman says that society should understand that donations don’t have to be financial. Donating your time and skills can make a change in someone’s life.
Guzman believes that there are many negative stigmas surrounding homelessness and that people need to understand that it can happen to anyone at any given moment.
“There are many different factors why people may be homeless,” Guzman said. “There are homeless veterans, youth, people who once had full-time jobs who are homeless due to financial strains, and women experiencing domestic violence trying to escape,” said Guzman.
Students passionately sleeping outside in sleeping bags for a good cause! Photo credit: Laina Landa
Guzman was touched by the students because even though they weren’t obligated to attend, they still took it upon themselves to sleep out and change the way they view homelessness. Guzman wants to continue attending events that will push her to give back.
