It’s so great that Saquon Barkley continues to support us. Saquon’s involvement with Covenant House New Jersey, along with that of the NY Giants, has extended over years in multiple ways. For the fifth year in a row, Saquon has been the Chairman of our signature Sleep Out event, Sleep Out Executive Edition. In addition to spending a night outside the comfort of a bed, Sleep Out funds raised by sleepers and sponsors through Sleep Out are a lifeline for youth overcoming homelessness. The movement includes executives, professionals, students, influencers, and individuals from across the state. Every participant sends a clear message to our youth that they are not alone. This year, Saquon and the NY Giants have invited us to their home, MetLife Stadium, and over 300 participants will be there.
Saquon also gets directly involved with our youth and provides them with life changing experiences. Most notably, Saquon has hosted 3 or 4 CHNJ youth at MetLife Stadium at every single home game over the course of his career. Win or lose, Saquon is there to be present for and to support our youth.
Most recently, this NYT’s Athletic article by Dan Duggan featured Saquon’s involvement with our youth. Saquon is following the lead of his mother Tonya Johnson, who notes in the article,
“I don’t think you should just write a check,” Johnson said. “I think you should participate in everything. You experience everybody else’s experiences.”
Thank you Saquon and the NY Giants for all you do to support us. To join Saquon in supporting our work to help youth facing homelessness, click here.
More From the Article:
Barkley greeted the group on Sunday in the tunnel that leads from the Giants’ locker room to the field. After chatting about the game and the kids’ athletic interests, Barkley opened the floor to questions.
“Some of these kids don’t even know who I am. Some of these kids don’t really know anything about football,” Barkley said. “That’s what I like about it. It’s true. It’s authentic. They’re asking me genuine questions, and I’m giving genuine answers about my life and how I got to where I am and the best advice I have for them.”
It’s the interactions that Barkley treasures. He gains as much as he provides during the meetings.
“I love sitting down and just having conversations,” Barkley said. “It could be something I said that they could take, and it goes a long way with them. There’s stuff that they say that I can learn from them and give me more ideas of what I can do within my foundation to continue to grow.”
You can read the complete article here.
Update: December 8, 2023
Through his work at CHNJ and other charities, Saquon has been nominated as Giants’ nominee for the 2023 Walter Payton NFL Man of the Year Award, which recognizes an NFL player for outstanding community service as well as excellence on the field. You can read more about the nomination here.
