Please help me help the homeless in Australia.

I’ve signed up for the 10th Vinnies CEO Sleepout on 18 June 2015. The funny thing is that I will be speaking at the Executive HR Leadership Summit in Sydney the same day as the sleep out. So this Queensland CEO is going to be sleeping on Sydney Turf – and I know it is going to be COLD!

Yet I am one of the lucky people. I will only be out in the cold for one night, unlike over 100,000 Australians who experience homelessness every night. Imagine how they must suffer.

Did you know that 17,845 Australian children under the age of 12 are homeless? These kids should be safe at home, tucked into bed and getting ready to go to school each day.

Did you know that 2,028 people over the age of 75 are homeless? How would your parents cope if they had to sleep on the streets?

Did you know that 44% of the homeless are women, many of whom are escaping from domestic violence? How bad was life at home if life on the streets looks like an improvement?

My business, LeadershipHQ, is all about empowerment so you can imagine how frustrating it is for me not to be able to do that for the homeless. I want to do my bit to end homelessness and bring people back into a warm and safe environment where they can regain their dignity and start rebuilding their lives. That’s why I am part of the 2015 Vinnies CEO Sleepout.

Our homeless people need a hand. They didn’t choose to be homeless. Sometimes it just takes one thing to go wrong and you’re out of work, out of home and out of hope.

I really need your help, now. I want to raise $5000 to help end homelessness in Australia.

I can’t help but think of those kids – about the same age as my daughter – out on the streets and exposed to who knows what dangers. And the elderly, who have enough to cope with just through aging, without having to sleep on the cold footpaths which chill their frail bodies.

I would really appreciate you showing your support by making a donation of any size. Every bit helps.

It could be you or me living in that situation. We’re the fortunate ones and I believe we have a responsibility to help those who haven’t been as lucky as we have.

Please help me raise money and donate whatever you can spare. Pop over to my fundraising page and make your donation.

(Statistics from https://www.homelessnessaustralia.org.au/index.php/about-homelessness/homeless-statistics)