Press Release: Manchester Community Unites Against Youth Homelessness
Manchester, NH – March 21, 2023 – In a show of solidarity against youth homelessness, over 1,000 advocates gathered at Bronstein Park, braving cold weather to raise $320,800 for Waypoint’s vital services. The annual SleepOut event brought together more than 150 individuals and teams who spent the night outdoors, sending a strong message: Homelessness is preventable.
The event featured poignant displays, including youth-created signs and a memorial table honoring young lives lost to homelessness in New Hampshire. Attendees were moved by personal stories shared by Waypoint staff, culminating in a powerful poem by a young participant: “Am I just a statistic? Am I lost in the count…?”
Waypoint provides comprehensive support to over 500 youth aged 12 to 24 experiencing or at risk of homelessness each year. As the state’s only provider of critical services, Waypoint offers early intervention, emergency assistance, and operates the sole low-barrier emergency youth shelter in New Hampshire.
"SleepOut is more than just an event; it symbolizes our commitment to ending youth homelessness in New Hampshire," stated Waypoint President and CEO Borja Alvarez de Toledo. With a decade-long legacy, the SleepOut has raised $3.2 million in support of young people experiencing homelessness.
Through community-driven events like SleepOut, Waypoint is dedicated to helping youth not only survive but thrive, working towards a future where every young person has a safe place to sleep.
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