NEW YORK -- As the first snowstorm of the season snarled traffic across New York City's boroughs on Thursday, Brian Cashman packed a sleeping bag and trekked toward midtown. For the seventh consecutive year, the Yankees general manager spent a night on Manhattan's streets in solidarity with homeless youth. It remains a world that he cannot fathom.
"I struggled getting here, walking through all of these nasty elements," Cashman said. "All I kept thinking about was, there are people right now that are living through this, trying to find a way to get covered just for a night. They're doing it night after night after night."
Cashman is a board member of Covenant House, which held its Executive Sleep Out and candlelight vigil for homeless youth in 19 cities on Thursday. Cashman said that he was introduced to the charity by Kevin Ryan, a college classmate who is now the president and CEO of Covenant House International.
"He did a smart thing," Cashman said. "He said, 'Come on down to the shelter and see what we've got going on.' After that, I was hooked. Thankfully, the Steinbrenner family and the Yankees have allowed their brand to hook up with this brand, to share the story of Covenant House to a much broader audience."
Taking part in the event at the Jacob Javits Center on Manhattan's West Side, Cashman parked a sleeping bag on the concrete of a loading dock, braving near-freezing temperatures while waiting for sunrise.
Though Cashman dealt with rain and cold in past years, he had yet to experience snow. More than six inches fell in Central Park on Thursday, creating an icy, slushy mess to contend with.
"My first year was like 13 degrees. It was brutal," Cashman said. "For the most part, we've been lucky, but this is something different."
More than 1,700 executives and leaders participated in similar events across the United States and Canada on Thursday. The Javits Center event raised more than $1 million for Covenant House New York, which will be utilized to provide youth with stable housing, employment or education assistance.
"Shame on the rest of us, running all over the rest of America while there's people in need," Cashman said. "Thankfully, for those people who step up and support, it will take care of some -- but not all."