Kennedy’s Fading Tradition

Students are coming together at Kennedy High School on Oct. 28, 2022, to participate in Homeless Night. The students have been collecting boxes in preparation for their shelters on this cold October night.

The goal of the event is for students to experience what it is like for homeless people with little to no belongings.

“Every Dollar that comes in will go to local homeless shelters here in Cedar Rapids,” Joseph Benedict, one of the Homeless Night sponsors, said. 

Homeless Night has been happening at Kennedy for 19 years, but when COVID hit Kennedy the event was delayed.

“Covid broke the momentum of this night, where every year it built upon itself and now people don’t know what this night is nor what we do,” Benedict said. 

Not many students are signed up for Homeless Night as of right now and Benedict isn’t sure how many more years it will be able to continue. Homeless Night typically has 50 to 60 kids signed up each year and has a record of 150 students This year there are only ten. If you’d like to continue the tradition, you can sign up by talking to Benedict in room 164.