Unfortunately we have had to cancel our annual St Vincent de Paul Winter Sleepout and instead have organised a Homeroom Campaign to keep our locals warm at night with the Bring-A-Blanket Appeal. We know that there is an increase of families ‘sleeping rough’ on our streets, in cars, or on spare couches and we know that many are in temporary shelter. Our students learn this from their work on the Vinnies Van where some of the clients sleep on the riverbank in Parramatta.
How many people are homeless?
At the last official count 105,237 people were homeless in Australia on census night in 2011. The 2011 Census tells us where homeless Australians are staying.
Approximately:
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39% are living in severely overcrowded dwellings,
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20 % are living in supported accommodation for the homeless;
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17 % are staying temporarily with other households;
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17% are staying in boarding houses;
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6% are sleeping rough on the streets of our cities and towns,
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1 % are in other temporary lodging
So please spend the $10 and buy a blanket for those who are doing it tough.
Mr Z. Culican
Director of Identity
