Vinnies CEO Sleepout to bring the issue of homelessness to Parliament’s door
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Every Canberran is feeling the pinch of the cost of living crisis right now.
Rents are raised, interest rates have skyrocketed, budgets are tight and the grocery shop is, well, dire.
But as the temperature drops, no matter your weekly budget, you’ll be happy to have a roof over your head.
This winter, many Canberrans won’t be so lucky, with a Vinnies report released earlier this year stating that more than a thousand Canberrans are estimated to be permanently homeless.
That’s why each winter, hundreds of Canberra CEOs sleep out with nothing but a sleeping bag and some cardboard during the Vinnies CEO Sleepout to raise money for those experiencing homelessness – and this year, they’re bringing the issue to the very doors of Parliament.
For the 15th anniversary of the event, the CEOs will set up camp in the car park of Australian Parliament House on Thursday 20 June, with the goal of raising awareness and critical funds for Vinnies front-line services to the tune of $800,000.
So far, more than 100 CEOs have joined the Sleepout, with $133,269 raised as of 22 May.
“This year’s theme is ‘change needs you’,” says Lucy Hohnen, CEO of Vinnies Canberra/Goulburn. “I am challenging leaders in business, politics, and the community sector to help drive the change we need to address homelessness in our region. At Vinnies, we see firsthand what the cost of living and housing crisis is doing to people from all backgrounds and stages of life. We know that it’s never been worse.”
“Through our front-line services, made possible by community support like the Sleepout, we meet people at their lowest ebb and give them the essential hand up by preventing evictions, finding a safe place to sleep, rebuilding trust and more.”
“Our fundraising target reflects the significant need in our community that we need to meet, and I would like to hope that with this inspiring venue, the stories of lived experience that the participants will hear on the night and seeing the impact of our work, we may well exceed that amount, we’ll need every dollar.”
While all 14 previous Sleepouts have all seen vital donations flow to those who need it most, the proceeds from last year’s successful Far South Coast CEO Sleepout saw specialist homelessness services introduced in the region, providing even more support for our coastal communities.
As for Canberra, Vinnies is calling on local CEOs to step up and commit to raising at least $4000 each for Vinnies frontline services this winter.
Feature image: Hon Sue Lines, Christine Shaw, David Austin, Natalie Shawross, Navleen Malhotra, Rob Stefanic, Amanda Nuttall, Hon Milton Dick MP, Lucy Honen, Neville Tomkins, Mirko Milic.jpg
