The St Vincent de Paul Society have moved their annual Community Sleepout event online in the wake of current lockdown restrictions across the state.
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And whilst participants of the event will no longer be gathering and sleeping rough together this Friday, Vinnies is still urging residents of the Murrumbidgee to get involved and raise funds to combat homelessness in NSW.
According to the latest figures released by the State Government, more than 51,000 applicants are also currently on the waiting list for social housing in NSW, including 5,300 listed as priority.
Local event organiser Sue Oosthuysen said that the Murrumbidgee had a significant number of individuals experiencing homelessness, and called on the community to donate to the cause.
"Homelessness is an issue in our area and we encourage people to donate," Mrs Oosthuysen said.
"We have a target of $15,000 but have only raised $7,000 so far."
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Participants will now have the choice to sleep out in their backyard, on their couch or in their cars, with all funds raised going directly towards local care and support centres across the Murrumbidgee Region.
"All of the funds raised will stay in the local community," Mrs Oosthuysen said.
"They will enable us to continue to support and assist those in the community who are most vulnerable and at risk of homelessness."
Brooke Simmons, Vinnies NSW Vice President of Social Justice said that Vinnies was proud to support people during times of hardship now and well into the future.
"We have seen people turn to charities in order to get by during this period, which is why events like the NSW Vinnies Community Sleepout are so important in enabling the Society to continue to supporting people in their times of need," Mrs Simmons said.
Donations can be made on the Vinnies Community Sleep Out Murrumbidgee Region page here.
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