St Vincent de Paul Society NSW launch 2023 Vinnies CEO Sleepout

This year’s Vinnies CEO Sleepout will be held on the longest night of the year on the 22nd of June but participating business leaders are gathering now to draw attention to the need to donate.

“The Vinnies CEO Sleepout is our biggest fundraising event of the year and it is vitally important to enable our services and members to provide assistance to people experiencing disadvantage,” St Vincent de Paul Society NSW CEO, Yolanda Saiz, said.

“It gathers CEOs, managing directors, and business and community leaders to learn about the problems caused by homelessness directly.

“Participants not only raise critical funds but also use their privilege and influence to find ways they can help us bring about change in regards to housing and homelessness solutions,” Ms Saiz said.

“The continued operation of our homelessness services, domestic violence refuges, and health services is dependent on people’s generosity,” Ms Saiz said.

“As the cost of living crisis and the ongoing housing affordability crisis continue to bite, we are asking people to be as generous as they can be this year and donate to the Vinnies CEO Sleepout.

“We are going to need to continue to hit our fundraising targets in order to be there for people when they need help the most,” Ms Saiz said.

“Our members assist tens of thousands of people each year when they are at the lowest points in their lives,” St Vincent de Paul Society NSW State Council President, Paul Burton, said.

“The fact that homelessness is not only present in Australia but increasing is something that just isn’t right.

“The fact that we don’t do enough to look after people who have fallen through the cracks is also deeply unfair and we need to do better by them by providing them with shelter, food and care.

“The Society is here to help but we can only do that because of the generosity of people who donate to us through events like the Vinnies CEO Sleepout.

“Please donate at ceosleepout.org.au and if you’re a senior business or community leader, you can also sign up to participate,” Mr Burton said.

The Vinnies CEO Sleepout has been running since 2006 and raised more than $80 million nationally over the lifetime of the event.

Events in NSW will take place in Sydney (White Bay Cruise Terminal), Newcastle and Wollongong on 22 June.

Visit www.ceosleepout.org.au to register or donate today.