A typical night out in New York City could be dinner at an exclusive restaurant, a Broadway show or shopping in SoHo. However, for the handful of Staples volunteers participating in the annual “Midnight Run,” their night in New York was spent giving back.

The Conservative Synagogue of Westport hosts a yearly Midnight Run, sponsored by the Midnight Run organization, in order to “unite housed and homeless people” within the community. On Saturday, Dec. 8, the Synagogue conducted their 2018 run. Between the hours of 10 p.m. and 1 a.m., Staples students took to the city to deliver bags of donated clothes, food and other personal care items that were then handed out to homeless shelters all around the Big Apple.

“Our goal is to provide for people who are less fortunate than us,” Ethan Frank ’20 said. “We strive to help as many people as possible and give away every last donation. We want to make sure these people stay warm throughout the winter season.”

The Conservative Synagogue organizes their Midnight Run every December as a reminder that the holiday season is about giving.

“I’ve been participating in the [Midnight] Run since middle school,” Evan Siegel ’20 said. “It’s such a great tradition.”

Good deeds are referred to as a “mitzvahs” in the Jewish religion, and the Synagogues’ goal was to remind their participants to continue selfless acts throughout the year.   

Although Ellie Arrow ’19 couldn’t attend the run this year, she tried to be as involved as possible. “Sadly, I couldn’t participate in the Midnight Run this year,” Arrow said. “Although I did donate, which in itself is also a mitzvah.”

Even with nearly freezing temperatures, the cold weather was ignored by students in pursuit to help the homeless in New York.

“Helping these people continuously makes me feel good,” Siegel said. “It’s nice to know that I will be making a change in others’ lives.”