TORONTO, Nov. 22, 2013 /CNW/ - Seventy-four of the city's top business and community leaders spent a chilly, damp night sleeping on the pavement to raise more than $700,000 for homeless kids at Covenant House.
Participants in the second annual Covenant House Executive Sleep Out bedded down with only a sleeping bag and piece of cardboard led by Event Co-chairs Tim Leiweke, Maple Leaf Sports & Entertainment (MLSE) President and CEO, and Arlene Dickinson, CEO of Venture Communications and YouInc.com and venture capitalist on the CBC series Dragons' Den.
Joining them were Starbucks' President Annie Young-Scrivner, Porter Airlines' President Robert Deluce, Sleep Country Canada Co-founder and President, Christine Magee, Patrick Nangle, Purolator President and CEO, Toronto Police Chief Bill Blair, Duncan Hannay, Senior Marketing VP at Scotiabank, and Kevin Patterson, CIBC Executive VP, Technology and Operations.
"It was uncomfortable but it was only a small glimpse of the hardship 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 overwhelmed and deeply grateful to our participants for their efforts in support of our kids. This event helps shine a light on the plight of homeless youth, raises much-needed funds and shows 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 and job training to about 3,000 youth annually. To do all this, the agency relies on donors for 80 percent of its $20-million annual operating budget.
Image with caption: "Top Toronto business leaders slept out to raise more than $700,000 for homeless youth at Covenant House last night. Here, Toronto Police Chief Bill Blair, Tim Leiweke, Maple Leaf Sports & Entertainment President and CEO, Arlene Dickinson, CEO of Venture Communications and venture capitalist on CBC's Dragons' Den and Bruce Rivers, Covenant House Executive Director bed down on the pavement for the wet and chilly night. (CNW Group/Covenant House)". Image available at: http://photos.newswire.ca/images/download/20131122_C9946_PHOTO_EN_33736.jpg
SOURCE: Covenant House
Rose Cino, Communications Manager
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