Woodbridge Man To Sleep Outdoors Friday Night For Fundraiser

When Tyrone Ross of Woodbridge agreed in December to sleep outdoors on the first night of spring, he was not expecting a forecast of freezing temperatures and snow.

But Friday afternoon, the 35-year-old was still preparing to spent the night outside in New York City with about 275 other young professionals who are raising money for Covenant House and raising awareness about homeless young people.

“Homeless people don’t really get a choice,’’ he said, explaining that is what he tells people who laugh at him when they learn he agreed to participate in the Covenant House Sleep Out months ago, before this week’s weather forecast. “I’m doing this by choice.”

Covenant House served more than 7,000 homeless youth in its New York and New Jersey programs last year, according to its website. About 40 percent of the homeless population is under the age of 18, according to the nonprofit.

The Sleep Out raises money for the nonprofit and the 57,000 young people it expects to help this year.

Friday night’s Sleep Out will take place in New York City, Philadelphia, Los Angeles, Fort Lauderdale, Atlanta and Anchorage. So far, a total of more than $500,000 had been raised.

Ross said he and other volunteers will eat dinner and spend time with the young people at Covenant House in New York City Friday evening. Then, at midnight, when it’s lights-out for the kids, the volunteers will get a blanket and a piece of cardboard, he said.

“And we go outside and tough it out through the night,’’ he said.

On Friday afternoon, he was at his parent’s home, planning to dig through his dad’s clothes to find some warm gear to borrow.

Ross figured his own work-out clothes would be his first layer, topped by a hoodie and a sweatshirt, followed by a warm jacket, a hat and gloves.

“I know at some point around 2 or 3 in the morning...when you’ve been out there for hours, it’s going to get a little crazy,’’ he said.

Ross is a 2002 graduate of Seton Hall University and was a 2004 Olympic Trials qualifier in the 400 meter in track and field. He is a member of the 100 Black Men of New Jersey and a board member of the Urban League of Essex County.

He works as a Global Wealth Management financial advisor for Merrill Lynch in Middlesex County.

He was giving a financial seminar for the Garden State Bar Association when a lawyer who works with Covenant House approached him about volunteering with the nonprofit.

“When you realize the amount of kids who go bed hungry and don’t have shelter in New Jersey, it’s alarming,’’ said Ross. “When you hear their stories...it’s heartbreaking stuff about how the kids wind up in the crisis centers.”

So far, Ross raised more than $6,400. With his company’s match, he said that number could rise to more than $7,000.

“It’s a few hours out of my life to kind of bring awareness (to the issue,)” he said. “And (when I think of) all the kids who are going to eat and have a place to sleep, because I spent a few hours outside - it’s unspeakable. It’s awesome.”