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Yale Students Sleep Out for Homeless Yale University Students Find Out What It’s Like To Be Homeless

By DEBRA ALFARONE

Updated 11:30 AM EST, Mon, Nov 17, 2008

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Yale students sleep-out overnight to raise awareness and money for the issue of homelessness in New Haven.

Almost a hundred students at Yale University slept outside last night to raise money for New Haven’s homeless shelters. They slept in tents within a gated part of the Yale Campus.

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Yale students sleep outside in the cold and rain to bring awareness to the homeless problem in the Elm city.

Yale Sleep Out

“The worst part of last night?” said student Eliza Schafler, “Just seeing that rain coming down. The weather gets hard and that’s what this is about.”

When the city cut funding to it’s homeless shelters, the students from an organization called “Shelter Now” decided to act, staging this sleep-out from 11pm Saturday night to 8am this morning. They say without the money, the city’s overflow shelter will have to close for two months during the dead of the winter, putting 125 men on the street each night.

Student Beth Reisfeld said “Basically the students at this university decided that it’s not OK the city didn’t fund them.” The students are trying to raise the $100,000 needed to keep the shelter open. Shelter Now has teamed up with the United Way of Greater New Haven to coordinate the fund-raising. To donate, log on to www.uwgnh.org.

First Published: Nov 16, 2008 6:47 AM EST

Comments (7)

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Beth Reisfeld Sunday, Nov 16 at 11:58 PM FLAG COMMENT Surprised: Thank you sincerely for your comment. To earlier Commenter: While I hesitate to validate your comments with a response, it's important to me, for the sake of future readers, to make clear the following: $700 is not all that was raised. We have pledged to raise $20,000 as a part of this campaign, though we expect to contribute at least $25,000--which is a full quarter of the funds needed as part of the Shelter Now c ... MORE >
Earlier Commenter Sunday, Nov 16 at 11:40 PM FLAG COMMENT I am not disgusted and I haven't received an answer to my question. All of the money in this school and 700 dollars is all that was raised. How much was paid for Irans president coming to the schoo. They should be disgusted for even entertaining the idea of bringing an enemy of America to the country, let alone actully carrying out the task. I am sure his meal alone was more than 700. Typical Liberal Connecticut. P.S. ... MORE >
surprised Sunday, Nov 16 at 7:34 PM FLAG COMMENT I just learned about the homeless shelter being closed in New Haven...I know it because this demonstration made me aware that it was happening. Perhaps the earlier commenter should be disgusted with the homeless shelter being closed...not with the people who are trying to keep it opened.
Anonymous Sunday, Nov 16 at 5:02 PM FLAG COMMENT A hundred yale students sleep outside and that is all you raised was 700 dollars. These rich kids spend half of that on food a day. Where is there parents to donate money? How much money was the president of Iran paid to speak at the school? I am sure it dwarfed $700.
Beth Reisfeld Sunday, Nov 16 at 3:56 PM FLAG COMMENT I'd like to respond to the two comments posted above. As one of the organizers of this event, I want to make it clear that in no way do we believe that by sleeping outside for a night in tents, that we understand what it is like to be homeless. We are not pretending to be homeless, and hopefully we never will be. But that only increases our responsibility towards those who are. This is an exercise in solidarity, and an attempt ... MORE >