Above, Anywhere members of The Wharf team in Washington, D.C. set up their sleep stations for the night to support the Covenant House and its fight against youth homelessness.
Anywhere Real Estate Inc. has announced its charitable foundation, Anywhere Gives, recently participated in “Sleep Out,” a program run by Covenant House, an organization that fights youth homelessness. The Sleep Out brought together more than 10 teams of Anywhere real estate professionals who spent an overnight outside to raise awareness and funds for its philanthropic partner.
The company said Anywhere Gives teams across over 10 markets rallied together to fundraise and support the youth who call Covenant House Centers home. The event took place last month at locations from MetLife Stadium in New Jersey to The Wharf in Washington D.C., and the company noted that many teams slept out in harsh wind, freezing temperatures and rain to act in solidarity with the 4.2 million youth who face homelessness every year.
“I didn’t think that just one night sleeping out would be so impactful, but it truly was,” said Debbie Higgins McLean, senior vice president of Human Resources for Anywhere Integrated Services, Finance, Legal, and Communications. “The stress of not feeling personally safe while sleeping outside, the discomfort and lack of all the things we take for granted–a bathroom, a roof over our heads, a warm bed, loved ones around us–is so unsettling. It’s heartbreaking to be so uncertain about what your future holds and if you will ever find a way out of that situation. This organization does such amazing work for their clients and residents. It is just so heartwarming to see these people who care and give so much of themselves to help others. They are truly heroes.”
The Anywhere Gives partnership with Covenant House started one year ago, first with Covenant House New Jersey and expanding to over 10 markets this year. In total, Anywhere Gives raised over $140,000 for various Covenant House centers, including a $25,000 match donation from the foundation, which will be added to the total.
“I was surprised by how difficult it is to successfully function after a night of restless, irregular sleep, yet we expect the unhoused youth to maintain schoolwork, jobs and other activities despite not having access to proper resources and restoration,” said Trey Sarten, chief communications officer and head of Public Affairs for Anywhere. “Homelessness can happen to anyone at any time. It is by no one’s fault or choice, and comes with extreme shame, distrust, and loneliness. The mission of Covenant House is to help unhoused youth feel welcome, respected, and cared for so they can carry on with their journey and achieve a sustainable future. ”
Additionally, teams located in South Florida participated in the Real Estate Edition of Sleep Out and left the experience feeling inspired to continue helping within their communities, a release noted.
“The Covenant House sleep out is not just about one night sleeping outside, it’s about teaching the participants to appreciate what they have and to understand that there are so many reasons that people end up in the position of being unhoused,” said Becky Tallent, vice president, head of Government Affairs for Anywhere. “As I drove home, I found myself looking forward to my warm, dry bed and realizing in a much clearer way, what a privilege it is to have a safe place to return to.”
For those interested, the donation portal will be open for a few more weeks. Participants can show their support by donating to a team or individual, as well as spreading Covenant House’s mission to get more people into more homes. For more Anywhere news and additional insight from Sleep Out, visit anywhere.re.
