The seventh annual Newcastle Sleepout by Saint Vincent de Paul will take place tonight at McDonald Jones Stadium with over fifty local CEOs participating in the event to raise funds for homeless services.
The Sleepout invites participates to experience a night of 'sleeping rough' with just a sleeping bag and a piece of cardboard.
The latest census data shows more than 116,000 people currently experience homelessness in Australia, with over a third of that number occurring in NSW alone.
With only three percent of homes deemed affordable across the state for low-income earners, Saint Vincent de Paul is advocating for more social housing and measures to decrease cost of living.
The state government has pledged to halve homelessness by 2025 but Event Coordinator for the fundraiser, Jenny Barrie, has said there is an urgent need to direct more funds to regional areas with people reportedly feeling less safe outside of cities.
The fundraising effort is aiming for $150,000 to contribute to food services, social housing and health professionals provided by the charity in the Hunter.
It is forecasted to be just four degrees over night and Barrie says it can be a "cold, hard" experience.
