Tonight 59 business, community and government leaders from the Hunter will be sleeping out at the McDonald Jones Stadium to help combat homelessness.
The CEO Sleepout is organised by the Saint Vincent de Paul Society to raise money and awareness for the epidemic.
Denise Lucas, Vinnies Executive Officer, says the sleepout is "a great way for us to be able to educate people about the problems of homelessness, which is a growing crisis in the community."
Since its conception in 2006, the sleepout has raised over $43 million to actively combat homelessness Australia-wide.
"It provides an awareness for the people that come along of just what it is to be homeless, the discomfort of sleeping out, the cold..."
The unique experience is designed to enable business leaders to actively combat the issue of homelessness.
"...So it's really about creating awareness for people who are in positions of influence."
According to the Australian Bureau of Statistics, 116,427 people in Australia are homeless, and this includes 1747 in the Hunter alone.
Newcastle's team has already raised $100,000 to fund Vinnies homeless services, which include:
- Case management and support to homeless individuals
- Outreach programmes to people sleeping rough
- Financial assistance for people struggling with normal household costs
You can read more, nominate a CEO and donate at https://www.ceosleepout.org.au/.
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| Last year's CEO Sleepout in Sydney. Photo: ABC News |
