Sam White, Director of Ray White and Chairman of Loan Market, raised over $13,000 for the 2014 Vinnies CEO Sleepout.
Held last night, Mr White alongside 1,000 other CEOs, slept rough in a bid to raise vital funds and awareness for the St Vincent de Paul's program aimed at ending homelessness.
An ambassador of the event this year, Mr White has participated in the sleepout for the past four years.
“This year I visited the Matthew Talbot Centre in Darlinghurst, Sydney. It was a humbling experience. I spent time with case workers who explained to me, that not only do they provide beds to 90 people every night they also provide much needed mental health care, meals and vocational services to over 600 homeless Australians.
“Their goal is to reintegrate these individuals into the community within a year. Unfortunately there are many such hostels that are needed and located throughout Sydney and Australia,” Mr White explains.
“I used to think if you were homeless you’d brought it upon yourself. I now know that there are many different factors that contribute to homelessness that are out of that person’s control – things like mental illness and domestic abuse.”
Mr White says that what few people realise is how many children are affected by homelessness throughout Australia.
“The problem is actually getting worse, not better. Did you know there are 28,000 kids under the age of 12 who are living on Australia’s streets? That to me is shocking, and something we all need to do something about,” White says.
Sam White is the Chairman of Loan Market and Director of the Ray White Group, Australia’s largest real estate company.
“The core of our businesses - across Loan Market and Ray White - is to help people get into homes. With over 100,000 people homeless every night in Australia, as a company we have an opportunity through the CEO Sleepout to raise funds for an important cause and also to raise awareness throughout the communities of our Loan Market and Ray White networks,” Mr White concludes.
The NSW CEO Sleepout was held last night, 19 June 2014, at Carriageworks in Everleigh.
Donations are still open and contributions to the cause by clicking here.
