More than 80 women sleep outside in cold to raise funds for Toronto homeless youth shelter

With sleeping bags and pieces of cardboard, more than 80 women slept outside in the cold in Toronto on Friday night to raise $315,000 for a homeless youth agency.

Greta Cusworth, an organizer of the event called Sleep Out: Women Unite, said the funds raised will go towards the operating expenses of Covenant House Toronto.

The downtown event was held to build awareness of the agency, said Cusworth. Covenant House works with homeless youth aged 16 to 24 and provides emergency shelter and transitional housing. It also offers services such as education, counseling, health care, employment assistance and job training.

"Most kids never choose to sleep out on the street," she said.

"What we are coming away with tonight is an understanding of the comprehensive services that Covenant House provides for these youth and just how difficult it is for some of them to find a way forward and how fortunate they are when they come in contact with Covenant House Toronto." 

The participants have gained insights of what it means to be young and homeless, Cusworth said. 

"I think they are going to take home a profound understanding of what it's like for kids who come from disadvantaged homes, homes where they have been potentially been abused, dysfunctional families, relationships that just don't work for them."

Each participant raised $2,500

Cusworth said the event has brought together a diverse group of women recruited by the event committee. Each participant agreed to raise a minimum of $2,500 through sponsors, and some women raised more. One woman raised $13,800 on her own.

"They come from all walks of life. Some of us are retired. Some of us are still working. The common thing among all of us is a passion for helping homeless youth," she said.

Cusworth said she has donated to Covenant House Toronto for more than 10 years.

"I'm sleeping out on the street for a night so kids don't have to. Covenant House does amazing work with homeless youth ages 17-24. They give them a way off the street — a place to stay, the ability to complete high school and take life skills training and most importantly, an optimism about their future."

Natalie Culshaw, a participant, said she took part in the event because Covenant House does good work. She said there was a lot of camaraderie among the women at the event.

"It's important because Covenant House is an awesome charity that we've come to learn so much about in the last few months. It's important for our youth, not just for emergency shelter, but for support, the whole way to get them back to living a good life," Culshaw said.

The sleep out was held near Gerrard Street West and Bay Street.

Toronto's Covenant House, the largest agency of its kind in Canada, derives more 80 per cent of its annual operating budget from donors.

Covenant House serves up to 250 young people daily, and says it welcomes young people regardless of race, religion, sexual orientation, gender identity or the circumstances that bring them to its agency.