The Vinnies CEO Sleepout returns to Canberra this winter, with a local fundraising goal of $700,000. The annual event sees CEOs and leaders across the country โsleep outโ for a night in June to raise funds and awareness for Vinnies homelessness services.
This year is the 10th anniversary of the event in Canberra, and CEO of St Vincent de Paul Society Canberra/Goulburn Barnie van Wyk said the cause is more important than ever.
โWeโve not been able to address the systemic issues of homelessness,โ Mr van Wyk said at the launch of this yearโs event on Thursday 4 April.
โIn 2016, the census found that there were 1,596 people here experiencing homelessness on a daily basis in the ACT.
โFor me, this hits home when you start to talk about 348 young people between the ages of 12 and 24 โฆ is that a โfair goโ? I donโt think so.โ
Mr van Wyk said โanyoneโ could experience homelessness, and no one could โtruly, hand-on-heartโ say โthat will never happen to meโ.
โI have heard and experienced and seen too many situations and issues where people have fallen onto hard times, where they would think that wasnโt possible to happen.โ
This year, participating CEOs will spend the night of Thursday 20 June in Hangar 47 at Canberra Airport.
โWeโre going to learn what itโs like to sleep, and have your sleep disturbed, because we are a 24-hour operating airport,โ Canberra Airport managing director Stephen Byron said.
โWe will learn what itโs like to sleep on concrete, hard concrete. And I can promise you, that thirdly, we will learn what itโs like to be cold, very cold.โ
While both Mr van Wyk and Mr Byron acknowledged that the event in many ways does not simulate a โreal โnight outโโ, the focus is on reflecting and gaining an insight into the experience of those experiencing homelessness.
โThis is a key initative for us,โ Mr van Wyk said. โItโs about raising funds, thereโs no doubt about that, and we really would look at raising some significant funds this year, being our 10th anniversary.
โWe want to have in excess of 200 participants this year โฆ to raise funds, but also raise awareness.โ
The CEO Sleepout will be held on Thursday 20 June at Hangar 47 at Canberra Airport. To donate or to nominate, visit ceosleepout.org.au/event/canberra
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