Top city execs spent night on the street for homeless kids

TORONTO, Nov. 21, 2014 /CNW/ - 71 of the city's top business and community leaders spent the night on the ground when the wind chill dipped to –18 °C to raise more than $900,000 for homeless kids at Covenant House, $100,000 over the original goal.

Participants in the third annual Covenant House Executive Sleep Out bedded down with only a sleeping bag and piece of cardboard led by Co-chairs Belinda Stronach, chairman and president, The Stronach Group and founder, The Belinda Stronach Foundation and Tim Leiweke, MLSE president and CEO.

Among the participants were Patrick Nangle, Purolator president, Police Chief Bill Blair, Martin Katz, Prospero Pictures founder and president, CIBC Executive Vice President and Group Head, Wealth Management, Steve Geist, Justine Deluce, COO, Chestnut Park Real Estate Limited, Diane Brisebois, president and CEO of Retail Council of Canada, and Event Committee Chair Duncan Hannay, president, David & Henderson Ltd.

"While we were uncomfortable, we only got a small glimpse of the hardship homeless kids can face on the street," says Bruce Rivers, executive director of the country's largest agency for homeless youth who also slept out. "We are so grateful to everyone who helped send a powerful message about the plight of homeless youth, raised much-needed funds and showed our young people that the community is behind them."

More than a place to stay, Covenant House provides 24/7 crisis shelter and a longer-term residential program along with comprehensive services, including education, counselling, health care, employment assistance, job training, and aftercare.  To do all this, the agency relies on donors for about 80 percent of its $21.8-million annual operating budget.

Image with caption: "Bedding down for homeless youth at Covenant House Toronto's Executive Sleep Out are (l to r) Duncan Hannay, president, Davis & Henderson Ltd., Cineplex Entertainment COO Dan McGrath, The Stronach Group Chairman and President Belinda Stronach, Purolator President Patrick Nangle, TAXI Canada President Nancy Beattie, and Covenant House's Bruce Rivers. (CNW Group/Covenant House Toronto)". Image available at: http://photos.newswire.ca/images/download/20141121_C8118_PHOTO_EN_8396.jpg

SOURCE: Covenant House Toronto

Rose Cino, Communications Manager, [phone], [email protected]