Some 731,000 children in Australia are reported to be below the poverty line and on any given night, 116,000 people are experiencing or at risk of homelessness.
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The statistics, shared by Saint Vincent de Paul Goulburn treasurer, Bob Thurling, were a confronting opening to the organisation’s Winter Sleep-Out held on Friday night.
Some 80 students from Trinity Catholic College, Saint Joseph’s Primary, Sts Peter and Paul’s Primary and St Mary’s Primary School, Crookwell took part in the event.
The roaring fire and warm soup on offer were in stark contrast to the minus five temperature predicted outside. But during the night students did 40-minute stints outside and took part in interactive activities highlighting what it meant to be homeless. They also talked about solutions.
Trinity Catholic College teacher Tim Matthews said the school had been taking part in the event for five years. This year they decided to broaden participation.
“It’s about education, awareness and raising money for St Vincent de Paul,” he said.
He told students about one-quarter of children the students’ age were homeless in Australia.
“I’m embarrassed by that,” he said.
“Tonight will give you a taste of what it’s like to sleep rough.”
The event raised $800 and saw scores of blankets donated to the charity.
It’s help for which St Vincent de Paul president Pat Smith is eternally grateful. She told students that entire families were sleeping out in their cars in Goulburn’s winter. Women who had separated from their husbands but still had children to support were also doing it tough.
“Sometimes at the end of the day you could just go home and cry,” she said.
But the former teacher and school principal said the work was the best thing she’d done in her life, given the rich reward of helping people.
“What you are doing will enable these people to lift their heads and get on with their lives,” she said.
“We can’t thank you enough because you’re making a big difference. You should be proud.”
Mr Thurling said the organisation’s Canberra/Goulburn conference provided $1.8 million annually in direct assistance annually. The Goulburn budget is about $50,000 a year, with $6000 coming from parishioner donations and $45,000 subsidised from the Archdiocese. The Sleep-Out initiative contributes to Archdiocesan funds.
“We don’t discriminate. We assist all folk who approach us if it is humanly possible,” he said.
The assistance includes $33,000 spent on food parcels to feed people; $1800 on blankets and bedding; $1500 on emergency accommodation, $500 to $1000 assisting relatives with funerals of family members; and $700 in travel and fuel help.
Mrs Smith said the demand for accommodation was growing. Anglicare was subsidised by the State Government to provide emergency overnight accommodation but St Vincent de Paul was regularly called upon to help people out. In exceptional circumstances the organisation also helped people with part-payment of rent arrears.
St Vincent de Paul Canberra/Goulburn youth team leader Therese Canty praised the turn-out. The children also watched a movie, The Privilege Walk, which gave a glimpse of what it meant to be homeless.
For their part, the children indulged in hot soup, courtesy of Trinity’s hospitality students and warmed up by the fire before dossing out for the night.