Covenant House 23rd Annual Awards Dinner Honoring John Devaney Raises $1.4 Million for Homeless Youth

"John Devaney's support tonight will provide hope to thousands and thousands of homeless kids," said Sister Patricia A. Cruise, President of Covenant House. "The commitment shown by John and his colleagues at United Capital Markets will enable us to rescue more young people from a dead end life on the streets."

"I'm proud of the fact that as my companies have grown, so has our community reinvestment program," said Devaney to a crowd representing many Wall Street companies, as well as past and current residents of Covenant House. "It is important for charity to be a major part of corporate culture, and it's important that companies rally each other to support their charities.

"I thank you all for being here tonight," said Devaney, "and I hope all of you try to make Covenant House and this annual event a permanent part of your charitable programs. Covenant House is a special place that keeps the doors open all day and night to help kids in crisis. It's a place that I am proud to be a part of."

The event featured a speech by Vivian Greaves, a former resident of Covenant House who is now a member of the organization's New York Board of Directors.

"A little over 15 years ago, I was walking down the driveway at 41st Street seeking shelter; today I am a board member," said Vivian. "It is because of Covenant House, and all of you here at the Waldorf tonight, that make these stories become reality. On behalf of every child in our Covenant House shelters tonight, and those that will come in the future, I thank you. Covenant House is a special place and is forever part of my life."

The Master of Ceremonies for the evening was Bill Hemmer, co-host of America's Newsroom on the Fox News Channel. "Every night, in the richest country in the world, kids are eating food out of dumpsters and sleeping in alleyways," said Hemmer. "The fact that Covenant House provides solutions -- the fact that Covenant House exists to help these very children -- is why I am proud to be here tonight.

"All they need is a chance."

"The vast majority of kids who come to us are underdogs ... longshots who have been tossed aside by their 18th birthdays," said Sister Tricia. "At Covenant House we stand up to this and we say ... no.

"With your support, we will continue to work towards the day when no young person will have to spend a night on the streets. We will continue to strive to be the voice of homeless youth. And we will call ourselves to excellence ... because our kids deserve it."