HEAD HONCHOS will forego their high thread count Egyptian cotton sheets for a sliver of cardboard and a sleeping bag to raise funds for people experiencing homelessness.
Newcastle's Vinnies CEO Sleepout raises funds for places like the Matthew Talbot Homeless Service, which supports vulnerable men and families in crisis.
The face of homelessness is changing, it's not always an itinerant sleeping under a bridge, it's couch-surfing, teachers sleeping in their cars and families stressed about where they're going to be tomorrow.
Ryan Pryor manages Newcastle's Matthew Talbot Homeless Service, he's seen how skyrocketing rental prices have created a black hole - sucking in more and more people struggling to put a roof over their heads.
"The demand for services is more than we can manage at this point in time," he said.
"One of our families had applied for over 160 properties and were unsuccessful in getting a private rental, a family with four children and dual income, that's what we are seeing more and more.
"I think it's quite confronting for a lot of families and people who have previously had tenancies and sustained private rentals to experience homelessness for the first time."
Their goal is stable, rapid re-housing, not a short-term band-aid solution that leaves clients dependant on services.
Funds raised through the CEO Sleepout will help them provide brokerage support, help people establish a tenancy, pay for bonds and provide emergency accommodation to those sleeping rough.
Custom Fluidpower chief executive Graeme Vennell has taken part in the sleepout for the last nine years.
It's challenging, he said, but it's given him some perspective on what it's like for people struggling day-in, day-out.
"It's very enlightening to listen to some of the success stories from people who come along on the night, to listen to the journey of normal people," he said.
"It's not the stereotype, these are people who have fallen on hard times and been assisted by St Vinnies to claw their way out of the situation."
Mr Vennell hopes to raise $5000 for the cause, and encouraged other leaders to get on-board.
"I think the statistics say you're only three pays away from potentially falling on hardship and being homeless," he said.
"If everyone contributes just a small amount, it's not about winning, but the overall funds we can generate for the cause."
The 2022 statewide street count found 47 people sleeping rough in Newcastle and the Hunter, an increase on the previous year.
Newcastle had the highest number of people sleeping rough, followed closely by Dungog and Cessnock.
The picture is just as grim for people waiting for social housing, with 981 people in the Lake Macquarie area and 1366 holding out hope in Newcastle.
But it's about more than just the figures, St Vincent De Paul regional north-east director Clare Van Doorn said, it's about making people experiencing homelessness visible.
"Our focus this year is on breaking the cycle, really getting in and looking at that emergency accommodation and support and supporting people into what we hope will be sustainable living for years to go on," she said.
The Matthew Talbot service has supported 836 people this financial year, with 581 of those cases closed.
The Vinnies CEO Sleepout will take place across Australia on June 23 to raise vital funds and awareness in support of the 116,000 people experiencing homelessness nationally.
To donate or find out more information about the event visit ceosleepout.org.au.
