Homelessness is a pervasive problem throughout the United States, with hundreds of thousands of citizens homeless at any given point, in countless cities throughout the country, but Midnight Run is an organization that steps in to to help out.

In the mid-1980s, a program began in New York City called Midnight Run. Volunteers, coordinated by members of a church in the city, would collect and sort donations of food, clothing and supplies to distribute to the homeless in the area. By the end of the 1980s, over a dozen groups participated and Midnight Run had been incorporated as a nonprofit organization.

Following this model, various other Midnight Run programs had begun to appear around the country. One such program was started in New Haven by the churches on the New Haven Green. On a few nights each month, volunteers and church members would collect and distribute food, clothing and supplies to the homeless in New Haven.

A few staff members at the University of New Haven were involved in this initially, who then recruited their student staff and student leaders to assist in the efforts. Eventually, the university adopted its own night of the week to participate separate from the churches, due to the increasing numbers of students that got involved.

Many Recognized Student Organizations and individuals that couldn’t attend had donated additional clothing and supplies instead. The largest example of this is the Swimsuit Sprint, coordinated by Sigma Alpha Epsilon and SCOPE, which resulted in about 800 pounds of clothing donated towards Midnight Run.

As word of Midnight Run spread through New Haven, the number of homeless individuals and families has grown to the point where many nights bring as many of 50 or more people. Unfortunately, food supplies have been scarcer than clothing, and in many occasions, there has not been enough food for the ever-growing number of homeless individuals and families attending.

As a result, Midnight Run has partnered with Sodexo to provide food as well as another opportunity for students to get involved with the efforts. Students now have the opportunity to donate a meal from their meal plan, which Sodexo will provide at Midnight Run. Additionally, Sodexo will match the number of donations in a given week; for example, if 20 students donate their meal, Sodexo will provide 40 meals.

Lynn Derobertis, from the Office of Academic Services, and Lawrence Lisborg, from Sodexo, presented their initial ideas at a Undergraduate Student Government Association meeting. From that meeting alone, 40 students expressed interest in donating.

The Midnight Run team, which includes Derobertis as well as Becca Kitchell in the Office of Residential Life and Felecia Edwards in the First-Year Success Center, are always looking for more donations, whether in the form of food, clothing or supplies.

Physical donations, such as clothing or supplies, could be brought to the offices of Academic Services, Res Life and the FYSC. Students wishing to donate meals from their meal plan can contact Lynn Derobertis at [email protected] to be put on a sign-up list.