Vinnies CEO Sleepout launches for 2026
Leaders across the nation will come together again this winter for the annual Vinnies CEO Sleepout to raise awareness of homelessness and funds to support services and programs run by the St Vincent de Paul Society.
The Vinnies CEO Sleepout will be held on Thursday 18 June in Canberra, Sydney, Newcastle, Wollongong, Darwin, Brisbane, Gold Coast, Sunshine Coast, Adelaide, Hobart, Launceston, Melbourne and Perth with business and community leaders braving the cold for the night at venues ranging from the Roma Street Parklands in Brisbane to car parks, sport stadiums and zoos.
More than 122,000 people are experiencing homelessness across Australia according to the most recent Census, with far too many vulnerable people, from infants to seniors, going to bed each night without a secure home.
“The Vinnies CEO Sleepout is an opportunity for leaders across Australia to draw attention to homelessness and use their influence to advocate for change,” said the Society’s National President, Mark Gaetani.
“For more than two decades, the Vinnies CEO Sleepout has shone a light on the reality of homelessness in Australia. But the time for simply raising awareness has passed; what we need now is real action. It’s unconscionable that government policies have failed to meaningfully reduce this crisis. Charities like the St Vincent de Paul Society continue to do what we can, but secure housing is a fundamental human right that governments must ensure for all Australians.
“Homelessness has increased by 5.2 per cent nationally since 2016 and there are grave concerns that the numbers will go up even further when the Census is held later this year,” Mr Gaetani said. “The Society is working with the Australian Bureau of Statistics to improve the ways in which we count people who are experiencing homelessness in the upcoming Census.
“Our Members and services are on the frontline of this crisis in major cities and regional communities alike, seeing firsthand how hard it is for people to have a safe, secure and stable place to call home.
“By taking part in the Vinnies CEO Sleepout, participants can gain a greater understanding of how homelessness affects so many aspects of a person’s life and raise vital funds which allows Vinnies to offer a hand up to people in need,” he said.
Close to $110 million has been raised nationally since the launch of the Vinnies CEO Sleepout in 2006, supporting thousands of people experiencing and at risk of homelessness with accommodation, food, clothing, case management and other assistance.
More than 1,500 CEOs, business and community leaders took part in the Vinnies CEO Sleepout in 2025, raising over $9.4 million to support state-based services and programs.
Business and community leaders can sign up to take part in the Vinnies CEO Sleepout on Thursday 18 June and supporters can donate to the cause at https://www.ceosleepout.org.au/.
The St Vincent de Paul Society in Australia consists of 45,000 members and volunteers who operate on the ground through over 1,000 groups located in local communities across the country.
MEDIA CONTACT
0475 068 209 or media@svdp.org.au