Bardon resident Michael Lang drives across the Story Bridge everyday, but he will soon be sleeping under it to support the St Vincent De Paul Society's CEO Sleepout®.
Mr Lang will join 200 other business, government and community leaders on Thursday 23 June to provide immediate relief to people in crisis and to break the cycle of poverty and homelessness.
The SG Partners Managing Director is hoping to raise $5,000 for this year’s event which promises a colder, harder and harsher experience for participants.
“This will be my first Sleepout and I’m greatful for the opportunity to give back to my community and support a worthy cause,” Mr Lang said.
“Many of us take for granted a roof over our head or a home cooked meal at the end of the day. This experience will allow me to witness first-hand just a fragment of what it is like to be homeless.
“As an ambassador of other charitable organisations overseas, I thought now was the time to support those closer to home.”
Last year, Queensland leaders raised more than $871,000, which helped St Vincent De Paul to provide assistance to 296,500 people — one in every 16 Queenslanders.
St Vincent de Paul Society Queensland CEO, Peter Maher, said the Vinnies CEO Sleepout® is a great opportunity for business, community and government leaders to come together to make a real difference to the lives of those who are less fortunate.
“More than 105,000 Australians have no place to call home; a reality many people will never understand,” Mr Maher said.
“Approximately 27 per cent of Australia’s homeless are children, and 23 per cent are faced with this situation due to domestic and family violence.
“Behind each statistic is the story of a fellow Australian — someone just like you and me — who has experienced the extreme isolation and desperation of homelessness.”
Queensland has the third highest homeless population in Australia, with more than 44,000 Queenslanders seeking assistance in 2014–15 from a specialist homelessness service such as Vinnies.
Vinnies provides crisis accommodation to individuals experiencing homelessness, as well as advocacy support, budgeting services, living skills programs, emergency relief, transitional housing and access to programs that help rebuild lives.
