MANCHESTER, NH – Ken Sheldon, Waypoint’s Board Chair, and a volunteer leader at the agency for nearly a decade, can provide a first-hand account of sleeping on the ground during a March evening in downtown Manchester.
“In addition to being cold and uncomfortable, you hear sirens, car horns, and other sounds,” he said. “You can also tell exactly when the local bars close based on street noise. Now imagine having to do that every night as a young person and somehow having to get up and go to school the next day or go to your job.”
That image is why Sheldon and others throughout NH will be participating in Waypoint’s annual Sleep Out Fundraiser March 25 .
Organizers say that the event – now in its 7th year – is a night spent out in the cold to raise community consciousness and funds that they hope will transform the lives of homeless youth in NH. Proceeds will provide programs, services, and infrastructure to not only help those currently in need, but also support early interventions for vulnerable youth. Due to the pandemic, sleepers will participate in the event virtually and sleep in their own yards, in cars and in some cases even in basements.
Sheldon, who serves as NH State President at Bank of America, feels that sponsorship support from businesses and corporations in Waypoint’s cause is a vital investment in NH’s future. “By helping young people who are in crisis, or who are in jeopardy of things going bad, we can create better outcomes and a healthier society and community in the future . . . Waypoint has been fortunate to have a giving and caring business community and that has meant a lot.”
He points to Waypoint programs aimed at helping young people learn basic life skills as foundational to this work. “By giving them tools they need to succeed, we’re preparing kids for their adults lives.”
As one might imagine, COVID-19 along with NH’s rising housing costs, has exacerbated the issue of youth homelessness. It is estimated that about 15,000 young people in NH will experience some form of homelessness at some point this year. Sheldon will be among the estimated 200 others who will be sleeping outside on Friday. He says that prior to joining Waypoint as a volunteer, he did not fully understand the extent of the issue. “So many of these young people have no place to turn,” he said.
“In many cases, Waypoint is providing essential services in a true moment of need.”
Waypoint is hoping to raise $300,000 from the event and lists expansion of youth drop-in centers in Concord and Rochester as well as the development of a small overnight shelter in Manchester, as critical next steps. The centers provide a broad range of supports for youth, ranging from food, clothing, to access to computers and showers, to connections to social services and counseling.
To support the Sleep Out or learn more, please visit: https://waypointnh.org/
