Charity

PROCON Sponsors Waypoint SleepOut Event to Confront Youth Homelessness

Jen Stebbins Thomas and John Stebbins, PROCON managing director, join a group of PROCON and Tidemark Sleepers raising funds to help Waypoint end youth homelessness.

Hooksett, NH – PROCON announced it is a sponsor for the 9th annual SleepOut 2023, presented by Waypoint. SleepOut is an annual event that helps raise awareness and funds to support youth who are experiencing homelessness.

Before the night of the SleepOut, which was held on March 24, people register as individuals or teams, set fundraising goals, and recruit others to join in and donate. Waypoint’s total fundraising goal this year is $450,000, which will support its youth services across the state, including the new drop-in centers in Manchester and Rochester, community outreach in Concord, and an overnight emergency shelter in Manchester. So far, the Waypoint SleepOut 2023 has raised $360,925. The PROCON team raised $100,738 of its $100,000 goal, including the PROCON sponsorship of $50,000.

PROCON has been supporting Waypoint for over 40 years and has been a sponsor of the SleepOut for nine years.  Jen Stebbins Thomas, PROCON’s managing director and Waypoint board member, said, “I am so proud and inspired by the incredible work Waypoint has done to conceive of and build three new physical spaces to support these young adults: a brand new overnight shelter with 14 beds in Manchester (the first of its kind in the state), a new drop-in center supporting youth on the Seacoast in Rochester, and a new drop-in center supporting youth in Concord.

PROCON staff and their families camp out for the Waypoint SleepOut 2023.

“The 14 Manchester shelter beds have been full every night since the fourth day after opening in October 2022. There are regularly more than 30 youth in the lottery for 14 places to sleep each night. This year, we’re dedicating our SleepOut funds to the ongoing operating expenses of running these invaluable community resources. The cost of overnight staffing, utilities, food, and supplies all adds up – but we can help!”

Waypoint’s president and CEO, Borja Alvarez de Toledo, said, “Confronting youth homelessness in New Hampshire is a community-wide effort. We are so grateful for support from organizations like PROCON as it enables us to serve as a lifeline to more youth across the state and provide essential services to contribute to their long-term stability. Together, we will bring more New Hampshire youth closer to home.”

To learn more about Waypoint’s SleepOut 2023, visit https://waypointnh.org/sleepout2023.