2019-November-08
Did you know? You can share this story using the social media icons on the upper left. Use the hashtag #WeAreCisco. You can also rate or comment on the story below.
Where Are You Sleeping Tonight
Take a moment to imagine not knowing where you’ll sleep tonight, when you’ll eat next, or always fearing for your safety.
Did you know that nearly 4.2 million young people in the United States experience some form of homelessness each year? That includes 3.5 million young adults and at least 700,000 minors.
With your help, Cisco is determined to do something about it. Read on to find out how.
Covenant House Partnership
Last year, as part of our guiding mission to positively impact the lives of 1 billion people by 2025, we announced a five-year, $50 million commitment to Destination: Home, a public-private partnership serving as the backbone organization to end homelessness in Santa Clara County, California.
Included in the agreement is our continued support of Covenant House, which offers housing and support services to young people in need. This includes teenagers as well as single moms with infants and toddlers.
Covenant House reaches about 80,000 young people per year transform their lives and put them on a path to independence.
A safe place to live is only the start. Covenant House also offers residents a continuum of care, including education, job training and placement, mental health and substance abuse counseling, and legal aid.
Covenant House not only offers shelter, but in some cities, it also has outreach teams that patrol the streets to help combat the issue of human trafficking. Homeless kids across the world are seen as a low-risk proposition to traffickers and easy to lure into the vile world of human trafficking.
The outreach teams provide these youths with vital information about Covenant House residential, education, and job programs, counseling, food, and clean clothes. They gain the kids' trust and, when ready, the team brings them to a crisis shelter, where they're given the love and support needed to stay off the streets permanently.
Our support of Covenant House has continued to increase over the past few years. This year, our goal is to raise more than $1 million.
Sleep Out Events
In addition to giving Covenant House financial support, Cisco has pledged commitment to its causes. This includes its Sleep Out movement, where participants spend one night outside — whether at a Covenant House, a backyard, school grounds, or community spaces — to bring awareness to homelessness.
Sleep Outs are not just about experiencing what it’s like to be homeless or facing the life-or-death dangers that young people encounter on the streets. They are an act of solidarity with homeless youth.
This year, we aim to register more than 1,000 Cisco “sleepers” across 13 cities in the United States and Canada.
If you are interested in participating, visit Team Cisco to find your nearest location.
So far, we have 424 participants sleeping out. If sleeping out is not for you, you can still show your support by donating to one of the teams.
Related Links
Connect everything. Innovate everywhere. Benefit everyone.
Share your thoughts!
Log in to rate and commentShare your thoughts on the story here!