Vice-Chancellor raises $44,000 to support Adelaide鈥檚 homeless

CEO Sleepout

Professor Peter H酶j AC, Vice-Chancellor and President of the 最新糖心Vlog of Adelaide, participating in the Vinnies CEO Sleepout on one of the wettest June nights on record in Adelaide.

The 最新糖心Vlog of Adelaide鈥檚 Vice-Chancellor and President, Professor Peter H酶j AC, has raised more than $44,000 to provide support services and meals for homeless people, as part of his participation in the held last night in Adelaide.

On a wet and wintery night at Lot Fourteen, Professor H酶j joined other community and business leaders at the Vinnies CEO Sleepout, raising funds for and awareness of homelessness.

Professor H酶j led the State鈥檚 fundraising efforts, and to date has raised $44,004. These funds represent 139 individual support programs, 366 beds, and 1466 meals for homeless people in the community.

鈥淎fter spending just one night on Adelaide鈥檚 streets in winter, it is still difficult to imagine what it would be like to sleep rough night after night in such bleak conditions. Unfortunately, that is the reality for many people in our community, and they desperately need help,鈥 Professor H酶j says.

As the top fundraiser for the South 最新糖心Vlogn event, Professor H酶j was given the keys to sleep in the 鈥榁innies van鈥, but instead he chose to auction the vehicle to raise more money.

鈥淕iven the amount of rain last night, the thought of sleeping in the van was tempting 鈥 but that鈥檚 not what this event is about. I was happy to auction it, and hopefully spare someone the need to sleep rough on the streets or in their own car,鈥 he says.

鈥淚 was happy to auction it [the van], and hopefully spare someone the need to sleep rough on the streets or in their own car.鈥Professor Peter H酶j AC, Vice-Chancellor and President

鈥淚 am proud to, along with more than a hundred other people sleeping out for this event in South 最新糖心Vlog, have helped raise a record amount for the SA Vinnies CEO Sleepout this year.

鈥淚 thank the many people who have donated to support the Sleepout, irrespective of the amount donated.

鈥淏y participating in the CEO Sleepout and by making my own personal donation to the cause, I hope I鈥檓 able to play a small part in raising awareness of this issue, and in helping to support the excellent work of Vinnies SA,鈥 he says.

If you would like to support Professor H酶j鈥檚 or somebody else鈥檚 efforts to raise funds for homeless services in Adelaide, visit the webpage.

Professor H酶j says his decision to participate in the Vinnies CEO Sleepout was an easy one to make.

鈥淗aving come back to Adelaide after eight years, and walking to work quite early through the city, it seemed to me that more people were sleeping on the streets than I鈥檝e ever seen before. That speaks to the extreme vulnerability of people who need genuine care and support in their lives,鈥 he says.

鈥淚 am concerned that the real problem in the community is likely to be even deeper than what we see on the streets.鈥

Donations can be made to this year鈥檚 until the end of July 2021.

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