Sleepout for the Homeless

For the past 10 years the college has held a sleep out for the homeless of the Southern Tier raising over $18,000. The pandemic has forced us to cancel the sleep out. But the needs of the homeless are even greater this year in light of the pandemic.

There are some 1700 homeless people in the county and nationally some 17% of all community college students are also homeless. I am asking faculty, staff, and administration to consider making a small contribution to this year’s sleep out.

Rebecca Rathmell who works with the Coalition and as well as the YWCA outreach project has asked that people wishing to write a check should make it out to “YWCA of Binghamton” (put on memo part of check: street outreach) Such contributions can be sent to our FSA or mailed directly to the YWCA of BINGHAMTON, 80 HAWLEY ST. BINGHAMTON, NY 13901. Gift cards from fast food places like McDonalds would also be useful. Finally, a new sleeping bag would be useful. Since the campus is closed they can be dropped out at my house (564 Chenango St.—NE corner of Chenango and Mulberry Streets).

If anyone has any questions, they can call Doug Garnar at +1 (607) 296-7686 or email garnardc@sunybroome edu. Co-sponsors include the Student Assembly and the History/Philosophy/Social Sciences Dept.

All contributions should be received by May 8th

People say, what is the sense of our small effort?
They can not see that we must lay one brick at a time, take one step at a time. A pebble cast into a pond causes ripples that spread in all directions. Each one of thoughts, words and deeds is like that. No one has the right to sit down and feel helpless. There is so much work to do
,”
(Dorothy Day—mid-20th Century Humanitarian)