2022-December-09
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An Unforgettable Night: Covenant House Sleep Out Results
BY RACHAEL CHAMBERS · DIRECTOR OF STRATEGY & PLANNING · UNITED STATES
WITH HELEN GALL
4 MINUTE READ · 6 MINUTE LISTEN
“As one of the leading forces in connecting the world, we understand our unique opportunity to bring communities together and create meaningful change for everyone, everywhere.”
Our Cisco Purpose site statement exemplifies the Cisco Covenant House movement.
The meaningful change through advocacy and fundraising in support of thousands of young people who have experienced homelessness cannot be overstated.
Executive Sponsor and EVP/GM, Enterprise and Cloud and Massive-Scale Infrastructure Teams Jonathan Davidson reflected on the event, “It was an incredible honor to join this year’s Covenant House Sleep Out. I was moved by the event: The fantastic global turnout, the showing of support, and the chance to directly hear from several youth whose lives have been changed by this organization. For me, it brought to life the real impact each of us can make.”
On November 17, 2022, Team Cisco set a record with the most ever participants in a Sleep Out!
The global hybrid event included 754 people across 23 teams, 39 states, and eight countries, who gave up their bed for one night to sleep outside on the ground.
Showcasing the global support of the Covenant House, Cisco fielded Sleep Out teams at every Covenant House site in the U.S. and Canada, as well as at the first-ever Sleep Out in Mexico. We also had sleepers in Australia, India, China, and Japan!
Sleeping out is not about pretending to be homeless. It does however provide a lifechanging experience and peek into what human beings face night after night, alone in this world.
“It is hard to fathom the level of youth homelessness until you immerse yourself into the Covenant House program: Hearing the youth stories and seeing the number of youth that the Covenant House helps in your own state — let alone internationally,” Covenant House Alaska Team Captain Joe Frelin shares.
“This alone makes me want to help Covenant House in their mission however I can. Our young people are our future.”
Teams Santa Clara and Oakland slept out at Levi’s Stadium for the first time. And two new in-person Sleep Outs in Boston and at Cisco's RTP campus took place.
Most impressively, under the leadership of program Executive Sponsor Patrick Morrissey and Team Captains Kelli Kirwin, Lynn Lagace, and Helen Lambropoulos, Team Boston is the second-highest fundraising Sleep Out team of all corporate teams worldwide.
The Sleep Out movement continues to be a cornerstone of Cisco culture and a beautiful example of the giveback sprit at Cisco. This years event raised more than $2.2 million for Covenant House and will help house, feed, provide medical care, and other critical services for youths.
This brings Cisco's Sleep Out fundraising impact to nearly $10 million raised since 2014.
“You would think by my third year Sleeping Out for Covenant House, I’d be a pro. But no,” says Santa Clara Team Captain Lindy Bartell.
“Each time I’m changed as a human in a new way. Each year I struggle to ask for money for this amazing cause but then miraculously exceed my own expectations. Each year, I think I’ll be more emotionally prepared but then I hear someone’s unique story and I gain more empathy and love for homeless youth. This year, I slept the worst ever — hardly a wink — but I came away more committed and so proud of the company I work for.”
Covenant House’s work helps ensure young people have opportunities to live full lives and never experience homelessness as adults. At Cisco, some of the participants experienced homelessness as a young person.
When these young people lend their voice to the movement, it puts faces to what successful outcomes of this work looks like.
This year, we had 31 Cisco organizations represented at the Sleep Out. CX, Sales GES, and Sales Commercial had the most participation. 11 Cisco inclusive communities were also represented by members Sleeping Out — many of these employees joined for the first time.
“By engaging with the Cisconians who joined for the first time, I was able to pass on the energy and passion I have for this movement,” Oakland Team Captain Tony DeGruy explains.
“I caught that passion from our Global Leader Rachael Chambers. And I won’t stop until this blight on humanity is solved. The first-time participants experienced what it means to get proximate and have promised to partner with me next year to spread to help solve for this issue.”
Team Cisco will be back each year until no young person is alone without a safe place to call home.
It’s just one way Cisco employees live the Cisco purpose for an inclusive future for all.
Related Links
- Learn more about Covenant House
- 50th Anniversary Covenant House Sleep Out Kickoff Call replay
- Special celebrity support videos, featuring Holly Robinson Peete, Peter Gallagher, Julie Benz, and more
- Cisco Covenant House SharePoint
- Cisco Purpose
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