More than 122,000 people are homeless across Australia on any given night. A City West Housing team participated in the Property Industry Foundation’s SleepOut this year for homeless youth at Sydney Centennial Parklands.
Last night, despite the rain and wind, three City West Housing staff swapped their dry, comfortable beds for sleeping bags, raising awareness and much-needed funds for the Property Industry Foundation’s Haven Project.
Thank you to everyone who supported Team City West Housing, which raised $3,818 and was above the $3,000 target. In total, the event raised $83,870. The money raised will be used to build a home to provide a safe place for homeless young people.
Above, left to right: Cameron Warner (Housing Manager), Amanda Zhong (Community Engagement Officer) and Priscilla Tran (Development Manager) before bedding down for the night
Our Community Engagement Officer Amanda said that the SleepOut was a great experience overall, but challenging at times because it rained most of the night, with thunder and flashes of lightning in the distance.
“What surprised me was how loud and bright everything was, despite having earplugs and a sleeping mask. I can only imagine what it must be like for people sleeping rough in metropolitan areas.”
Housing Manager Cameron added that there was a speaker at the event who discussed his experiences with homelessness and how hard it is to break out of that cycle.
“He mentioned that going to jail was actually really helpful for him to gain stability and structure so that he could create a better life for himself, which was pretty surprising and tells you just how hard it is to be sleeping rough.”
The property industry SleepOut happens on just one night annually, but it raises vital funds to support homeless young people all year round.
