Geelong’s most influential business and community leaders will come together to fight homelessness when the CEO Sleepout returns to GMHBA Stadium on Thursday 27 June 2019.
The event aims to raise awareness and funds to change the lives of more than 21,000 people in the City of Greater Geelong living in poverty.
“The Kardinia Park Stadium Trust is proud to partner with Vinnies to bring the CEO Sleepout to GMHBA Stadium once again this year. Geelong has one of the highest rates of homelessness in regional Victoria and as a community-centred organisation we believe it’s important that we do our part to raise awareness and funds for those in our region struggling to make ends meet every single day,” said Kardinia Park Stadium Trust interim CEO Natalie Valentine.
This year’s theme is Leading with Compassion and a key goal of the CEO Sleepout is to encourage an honest and constructive conversation about the linkages between poverty and homelessness which, in and around Geelong, has risen almost 23 percent since 2011, according to the latest ABS figures. While the causes of homelessness are varied, a strong causal link is poverty.
“This year, we aim to raise $200,000, which will allow Vinnies to continue to help provide shelter, put food on tables, ensure lights stay on in the households of people in Geelong doing it tough,” said St Vincent de Paul Society Victoria CEO, Ms Sue Cattermole.
“Over the past three years, in the greater Geelong region, Vinnies volunteers have seen the need for assistance rise significantly in the following areas: utilities (more than 50 percent), education (75 percent), food (48 percent) and medications (38 percent),” she said.
Each participant is challenged to raise at least $3,000, to help Vinnies meet a collective target of $200,000 in Geelong, and to sleep outside for one night at GMHBA Stadium in the thick of winter on 27 June 2019.
Vinnies is calling on business, community and political leaders to register now by visiting ceosleepout.org.au. You can also donate here.
