Walk For Warmth 2014

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The Walk For Warmth started on a brisk Sunday morning. Good on two accounts, better to walk when it is cool, better to remember the approaching cold weather and why we were walking. We were about fifteen strong including Al Palazzo who came all the way from Australia.

We left New York Methodist Hospital and headed to the Manhattan Bridge. We stopped for some photos near the Barclay’s Center and realized that no one would see our beautiful t-shirts designed by Marcin Trojan and donated by Jody Yarmush because we all had coats on. Oh well. We made it to the Whole Foods at Union Square where we picked up a few more walkers and some light breakfast. We also picked up some banners provided by Ed Casey to herald the walk. Paris Datillo was a great trooper and held one of the banners up front the whole rest of the way.

Next we walked to 5th Avenue past the Empire State Building alongside Central Park to 72nd Street. We crossed the park to the boat basin café and had a nice lunch and lost a few and picked up a few walkers. Then, we walked via the Hudson River Greenway all the way down to the 9-11 museum and memorial. 
We picked up a few more people and spent some time in the museum and memorial. It was excellent but bittersweet for most of us native New Yorkers. 

Then we returned to New York Methodist via the Brooklyn Bridge stopping at the Fish and Sip restaurant for dinner.

All in all, it was over 20 miles and just a few complaints. Ronell Kirkley and Lorna Beckford reported that we raised over $7000 in total. This is a fabulous start to the sleeping bag season. All of the walkers and all of the donors who made up this special event are fantastic and have our thanks. 

Jody Yarmush
President
The Sleeping Bag Project NYC — in Manhattan, New York.

End of season 2013

We are pleased to send you an update of what we were able to accomplish with your generous donations and support this season. We have been able to distribute 200 sleeping bags to the street-sleeping-homeless of NYC during one of the coldest winters the city has seen in many years. We took a spark, lit in the hearts of a few New Yorkers that dared to care, and ignited a fire that has warmed the hearts and bodies of people desperately in need of assistance. With that same fire we were able to inspire you, our supporters, to fan the flames which made a difference to so many.
Spring has arrived and the flames have died down, we are left with glowing embers but we pray that those embers will provide us with enough warmth and light to last until we spark a fire next year. It is our sincere hope that next season's fire will burn even hotter and brighter to light the way to achieving our 2014 - 2015 goals:

  • We will distribute 250 - 300 sleeping bags. 
  • We will trade the old sleeping bags for new ones as well as wash and repurpose the old ones. 
  • We will hold steadfast to our commitment to you that 100% of your donation dollars will be used for the purchase of sleeping bags. 
  • We will be incorporated as a 501c3 non-profit organization.
  • And finally, please save the date for our season kick off; The Sleeping Bag Project NYC's Walk for Warmth 2014, on October 12, 2014.

As we take a moment to reflect and wonder at how we may have helped even just one of New York City's most vulnerable rest a little easier, it is our fervent hope that God's grace might help us, even in this small way, to change lives and leave a legacy that will live on forever.

Thank you so very much.

Jody, Ronell, Lorna and the members of The Sleeping Bag Project of NYC.