Operation Warmth for Warriors is a fundraising project that will help homeless veterans in Texas by providing them with sleeping bags. The goal of the project is two-fold: (1) raise $20,000 and (2) break a Guinness World Record. The $20,000 will be used to purchase at least 1,000 sleeping bags for homeless Texas veterans. Accomplishing this objective will also accomplish the second objective. The current Guinness World Record for lined up sleeping Bags is 550. This was set by Mid-American Christian University in 2022. The previous record of 253 was set in India in 2016. Baylor is going to smash this Guinness World Record at McLane Stadium on July 4th while also providing a tremendous service to the community of warriors who are homeless and in need of a blessing.
The two states with the highest homeless veteran populations are Texas and California. In Texas, the number of homeless veterans is estimated to be around 2,000. Operation Warmth for Warriors is a tremendous opportunity to provide direct assistance to 50% of the homeless veteran population in Texas. The collection and distribution of sleeping bags also provide a beachhead for Baylor University and veteran organizations throughout Texas to better connect with and build relationships with homeless veterans so that they can be transitioned into a new and bright phase of their service to the United States. Additionally, Operation Warmth for Warriors will break a Guinness World Record. Breaking this world record will create tremendous media and public opportunities for Baylor University. Grounded in Matthew 5:14-15, Baylor is an institution "Where lights shine bright." This project showcases the lights of Baylor which can be used to illuminate the Christian commitment that is going on with the Sport Management Program and VETS Program at Baylor as well as what is going on locally and throughout the state of Texas with homeless veterans. Operation Warmth for Warriors shines our light before others, both in Texas and throughout the United States, so that they may see our good deeds that glorify God through the usage of our talents and resources.
Operation Warmth for Warriors is spearheaded by Dr. Mar Magnusen, Associate Professor of Sport Management. The Sport Management Program is part of the Department of Educational Leadership in the School of Education. He is aided by his student, Sam Esparza, who is a graduate assistant at McLane Stadium and Kevin Davis, the VETS Program Manager at Baylor. Our community partner is Veterans One Stop, which is a comprehensive veteran service organization located off La Salle in Waco, Texas. Once the Guinness World Record is broken on July 4th, all sleeping bags will be organized and donated to Veterans One Stop. This organization will then act as the distribution point for all of Texas, providing sleeping bags to homeless veterans in Waco as well as to organizations serving veterans throughout Texas.
To learn more about this project, please contact Dr. Mar Magnusen, Associate Professor of Sport Management at Marshall_Magnusen@baylor.edu or Kevin Davis, VETS Program Manager at Kevin_Davis1@baylor.edu.
