Pro Bowler Sheldon Richardson of the New York Jets Joins Forces With BK Nation and Friends for Kevin Powell's 15th Annual Holiday Party & Clothing Drive

New York, NY, December 8, 2015 (Newswire.com) - In the spirit of giving that accompanies the holiday season, the New York staple known as Kevin Powell’s Annual Holiday Party and Clothing Drive returns for its 15th anniversary year. Tuesday, December 15, 2015 at Stage 48, All-Pro defensive end Sheldon Richardson of the New York Jets joins forces with Kevin Powell’s BK Nation to make a huge difference in the lives of many. Admission is FREE with a donation of new or used clean clothes, which will benefit Safe Horizon’s Streetwork Project, a program that assists more than 20,000 NYC homeless young people each year with temporary and permanent housing and other vital essentials.

“Congratulations to Kevin Powell and his amazing team for reaching an amazing milestone: their 15th anniversary,” says Brian Pacheco, a spokesperson for Safe Horizon. “Warm clothing is especially needed during the winter time for homeless young people, especially those living on the streets. We are deeply honored that Kevin, Sheldon Richardson and their supporters are collecting necessary and much-needed donations of clean clothing for the thousands of homeless young people Safe Horizon’s Streetwork Project serves annually.”

"It is incredible that this annual holiday party and clothing drive for the homeless has now reached its 15th anniversary. I am beyond thrilled that Sheldon Richardson of the New York Jets has come aboard to present the event this year. It means that we will generate even more support and donations than ever before for the Safe Horizon Streetwork Project. These young people need our help, and we are blessed to get it from this elite football player and generous human being."

Kevin Powell, Author & Activist

Kevin Powell’s Annual Holiday Party and Clothing Drive has become one of the most anticipated and successful charity events of the season in New York City. What began as a heartfelt response to the September 11 tragedy to mobilize diverse communities for a local charity became much more than that as it engaged and inspired a yearly tradition of service.

Says Kevin, “It is incredible that this annual holiday party and clothing drive for the homeless has now reached its 15th anniversary. I am beyond thrilled that Sheldon Richardson of the New York Jets has come aboard to present the event this year. It means that we will generate even more support and donations than ever before for the Safe Horizon Streetwork Project. These young people need our help, and we are blessed to get it from this elite football player and generous human being."

Richardson, defensive end for the NY Jets, believes in offering hope to those who have none, ’I’m very excited to partner with Safe Horizon’s Streetwork Project and Mr. Kevin Powell. It is really an honor to be in contribution alongside some incredible young people who can use some extra love and support. This will be a great event!’

Making its debut at a new, phenomenal and spacious venue, Powell has many treats in store for his guest: live visual artists, celebrity appearances, and more. And what party would be complete without a musical soundtrack, which this year will be provided by DJ Herbert Holler, DJ Cosi, and DJ Marc Smooth of the world famous Freedom Party©

Sponsors and partners for this year’s event include BK Nation, Buzz Brand Marketing, Millennium Sports Management Group and The Freedom Party© NYC.

About Kevin Powell

Kevin Powell, a long-time resident of Brooklyn, is a writer, activist, multimedia personality, and public speaker. He is the author or editor of 12 books, the most recent release being his memoir, The Education of Kevin Powell: A Boys Journey into Manhood. Kevin was also a founding staff member at Vibe magazine where he interviewed, among many others, the late Tupac Shakur on several occasions. On his life work, Kevin Powell says simply, “My life- calling is to be a servant for the people, period. Money, fame, status, personal achievements, and all that mean very little to me when pain and suffering are still real on this planet. I am interested in the powerless becoming powerful.”

About Sheldon Richardson

A native of St. Louis, Missouri, Sheldon A. Richardson is a defensive tackle for the New York Jets.  The 13th overall pick in the 2013 NFL Draft, Richardson has received many accolades in his first few years in the NFL. In 2013, he was named the AP NFL Defensive Rookie of the Year. In 2014, he was selected to his first Pro Bowl. In 2015,

Richardson continues to be a key contributor to the NY Jets, anchoring arguably one of the best Defensive Lines in the NFL. Off the field, Richardson is committed to making a meaningful impact in his community. With a passion and heart for people, Richardson is joining the fight against homelessness in the greater New York City area through raising funds for charities, collecting coats and hosting awareness events.

About Safe Horizon’s Streetwork Project

Safe Horizon is the largest non-profit victim services agency in the United States. We touch the lives of more than 250,000 children, adults, and families affected by crime and abuse throughout New York City each year. Safe Horizon’s Streetwork Project helps give homeless young people the refuge they need from the streets – and critical resources they need to find safety and hope. The Streetwork Project is committed to reaching out to the homeless and disenfranchised youth of New York City, offering them respite from hunger, cold, loneliness and fear and the opportunity to reclaim for themselves a sense of dignity and self-worth.

About BK Nation

BK Nation is a new national organization based in New York City (the “BK” stands for “Building Knowledge”). It is a movement of people from all backgrounds, combining grassroots activism, pop culture, technology, and social media to spark projects and campaigns led by the people, for the people. Those projects include the areas of education, jobs and small businesses, health and wellness, arts and culture, violence prevention, and leadership development. Indeed, we embrace the motto “The leadership is us” to convey that any real and lasting change in our America, and on our planet, will happen because of our voices, our ideas, and our actions.

About The Freedom Party®

The Freedom Party® is the longest running Friday-night dance party in NYC history! Created in 2003 by Herbert Holler, DJ Cosi and Marc Smooth, Freedom’s mission is to preserve the genuine, classic NYC nightlife vibe by putting music first and providing a place for people from all walks of life to dance and be free, regardless of whom they know or how much money they make. Playing a tight mix of danceable, soulful hits from the 60s through today, including hip-hop, house, disco, R&B classics, rock, reggae, classic pop and more, the Freedom Party® continues to fill its dance floor each week with positive, diverse, beautiful people from all over the globe looking to have an unforgettable NYC party experience. Voted "Village Voice Best Dance Party 2015".