You may have heard the experts say that Australia is in the midst of a housing crisis – property prices, skyrocketing rentals, foreign investment, even Airbnb are being blamed for pushing prices up, and more Australians out onto the streets.
Given the forecast for the coming days across the Coast has nights in the single digits…those streets are cold!
And while the stereotypical homeless person is thought to be an older man, the typical homeless Aussie is far from it –
With 60% under the age of 35
And 40% under 25
44% of those who sleep rough each night are women, often with their children, that have simply nowhere else to go.
Homelessness figures are currently over 100,000 each and every night – including right through winter – nationwide.
That’s 1 in 200 Australians are sleeping rough;
Or the size of a large regional city.
The majority are couch surfing, sleeping in their car or improvised dwellings. Some only have a piece of cardboard separating them from the freezing ground.
The main factors for homelessness
- Unemployment
- Financial and emotional hardship
- Ill health
- Relationship breakdown or Domestic violence
- Addiction
Recent reports show that 850,000 Australians spend more than a third of their salary on housing, which puts them under severe stress. Sometimes someone is only 2 pay packets away from sleeping on the streets…
How you can help:
Donate blankets, sleeping bags or warm clothing to one of the local charities, these will either be given directly to those who need them, or sold in Op Shops to raise money to fund community projects.
Make a cash donation to a charitable organisation before the end of this financial year, these are tax deductible for you, but
the benefits to the less fortunate are priceless.
CEOs or business owners across the Coast can sign on for the Million Star Executive Sleepout August 4 at Glenworth Valley, raising money for Coast Shelter. For more info, or to register, click this pic
