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, June 18, 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,” Mark Gaetani, the society’s national president, said.
“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.”
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 1500 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.
Details: Vinnies CEO Sleepout.
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Vinnies CEO Sleepout launches for 2026 (St Vincent de Paul Society)
