Vinnies Queensland is calling on Sunshine Coast business and community leaders to take on the CEO Sleepout challenge, as the event makes its official debut in the region for the first time in its 13-year history.
Each year, the Vinnies CEO Sleepout calls on participants to spend the night sleeping rough on one of the coldest nights of the year to raise vital funds and awareness for homelessness support.
Rain, hail or shine, local leaders this year will be swapping their warm bed for a piece of cardboard as they brave the elements to sleep rough for the night. In addition to events at Brisbane and the Gold Coast, the Sleepout will be held at the Noosa Heads Surf Lifesaving Club on Thursday 23 June, with participants set to spend the night sleeping on the sand.
Noosa Mayor Clare Stewart is one of many local leaders who have already signed up for the challenge.
Vinnies’ Diocesan president Beryl Rowan said funds raised from the event would go directly towards building and providing homes for local families in need.
“There’s no secret that the Sunshine Coast has been significantly impacted by the state-wide housing crisis, with rental vacancy rates of less than half a per cent across the region,” Beryl said.
“We invite all our local leaders to step up and sleep out for the night and help us support those struggling to find a home – or the many Coast residents who are already homeless.
“Across the region, we are working hard to help those facing or experiencing homelessness but with such a shortage of social and affordable housing, it has been a significant challenge.
“The funds raised from this event will also help us to secure our own accommodation options to provide to local families struggling to find a place to live.”
Beryl said the Sleepout wasn’t just about raising important funds, but also about raising awareness of homelessness and what people could do to help in their communities.
In 2021, Vinnies supported Queenslanders by providing housing and crisis accommodation for more than 101,000 nights and supplying $258 million in services and support to people in need.
The Sunshine Coast Sleepout aims to raise $200,000 in support of locals experiencing homelessness.
Business leaders who cannot attend one of the Sleepout events are invited to sleep in their backyards and raise funds in support.
Registrations for the Sunshine Coast Sleepout are open now – visit ceosleepout.org.au/fundraiser/teamsunshinecoast1332
