On the night of April 7, 2016, Andreas Antoniou wasn’t closing one of his restaurants in downtown Toronto. He was actually spending the night on the streets, together with an estimated 2,000 teens who have nowhere to sleep.
With a sleeping bag and a piece of cardboard, Andreas hit the cold streets of Toronto— it was 35 degrees (2 celsius) that night— and together with a few dozen other supporters, raised almost $250,000 total for Covenant House, a local shelter for homeless teens.
“Covenant House is remarkable organization that transforms the lives of at-risk, homeless and trafficked youth,” Antoniou told The Pappas Post in an email interview.
10,000 kids spend some time living on the streets of Toronto each year. For three decades, Covenant House Toronto has offered some 90,000 homeless kids the opportunity and hope to move from a life on the street to a life with a future.
“Through its comprehensive services such as education, counseling, health care, employment assistance, and job training Covenant House turns these kids into active, contributing members of our society.”
Antoniou launched a personal fundraising page and set a goal for $10,000— more than doubling his goal and to date, raising over $23,000.
“It was cold. It was dark. But for one night I gave up the comforts of home knowing it brought warmth and brightness to the young people who need it most,” Antoniou said.
