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Cashman, Pernetti To Sleep On NYC Streets To Raise Awareness For Homelessness

NEW YORK (CBSNewYork) -- Yankees general manager Brian Cashman and New York City FC chief business officer Tim Pernetti will sleep on the streets of New York City on Thursday.

Why, you ask?

To support Covenant House's nationwide "Sleep Out" movement.

"Covenant House is a nonprofit charity serving homeless youth with a network of shelters across the Americas," it says on the organization's website.

Here's more on what "Sleep Out" is all about, per Covenant House's website: "Across the U.S. and Canada, dedicated men and women are sleeping out for one night, raising critical funds and awareness, to make sure these kids have a safe place to stay at Covenant House every night."

"That's one night and it's miserable," Cashman told Yahoo! "I can't imagine taking that one night and making it a week, making it a month, making it -- in some cases -- a year or beyond, and somehow surviving that. That's happening in the United States. It shocking to just say that.

"Some people were thrown a curve early in life. Covenant House is there to welcome with open arms, but they're gonna put you through a program and get you pointed in the right direction."

Covenant House has been helping homeless children and raising awareness since 1972.

"No matter how bad a day you might have, there are people with far more difficult lives,'' Pernetti told NJ.com. "There are thousands of homeless young people in New York City and they need our help. I admire and am inspired by the work Covenant House is doing, providing young people a safe place to eat, sleep, shower and to plan for their future.

"I'm honored to help by sleeping out and raising awareness for this cause.''

Pernetti, formerly the Rutgers' athletic director, has created a web page to raise awareness. You can find it here.

To get involved and take part in the movement, click here.

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