More than 150 CEOs and community leaders in Melbourne took part in the annual Vinnies CEO Sleepout to raise money for the St Vincent de Paul and its services for the homeless.
While the CEOs slept out on bits of cardboard on cold concrete after a simple meal of bread and soup on Thursday, 23 June, they also raised $1.75 million and surpassing the fundraising target of $1.5 million. One third of the funds raised will go towards providing 48 “wrap-around” beds for Ozanam House, the Vincent Care’s crisis accommodation centre that is managed by Danny Tilkeridis.
On Thursday, the CEOs met Mr Tilkeridis who was among a panel of leading voices in the homelessness and housing space. Along with Ozanam House, the Greek-Australian manages two other facilities across the city.
Among the videos that the CEOs saw on the night was one of Garry who in 2017 was living in his car after a mental health breakdown. He received help and crisis accommodation at Ozanam House in North Melbourne and with the support of a range of “wrap around health and mental services” over a number of months he was able to get back on his feet.
“The issue of homelessness is vast and cannot be ‘fixed’ with a single solution. We need housing and support services like Ozanam House, but we also need to shift the public’s perception about homelessness and housing. On some level, we as a society accept the appalling conditions that people in the video are forced to live in,” Mr Tilkeridis said.
“At Ozanam House, our facilities cater to men and women from all walks of life, no matter where they are on their journey. We also offer three tiers of housing: crisis, recovery and growth. This approach to housing is quite innovative and moves away from a one-dimensional crisis housing response.
“You see how this model works with someone like Garry. Today, Garry is in a great place, working and studying for a Masters in Horticulture. Although he moved out of Ozanam House years ago into permanent accommodation, he is still very much part of the community as he runs the gardening program there,” Mr Tilkeridis said.
The mobile kitchens that provide food to people locally and which can also be mobilized to an emergency anywhere in the state will also benefit from the Vinnies CEO Sleepout funds as will Vinnies ongoing volunteer work that delivers food and financial assistance throughout Victoria.
Mr Tilkeridis donations would remain open until 31 July. To register for 2023’s Vinnies CEO Sleepout go to www.ceosleepout.org.au
