The University of Southern Queensland (UniSQ) Vinnies Community Sleepout is back for another year to help raise money and awareness for homelessness in the Toowoomba region.
University students, staff and community members launched the event to take place on what is sure to be a chilly night on Friday August, 4 at the University of Southern Queensland’s Toowoomba campus.
University of Southern Queensland Executive Director (Strategic Liaison Education Community) Helen Nolan is the proud ambassador of this year’s event.
“This is an important opportunity to learn more about a critical issue impacting more than 500 people in Toowoomba on any given night,” Mrs Nolan said.
“Event participants will experience what it is like to sleep rough for a night, with students, staff and community members welcome to attend.”
St Vincent de Paul Society QLD Youth Development and Engagement Coordinator Julie Inskip said money raised from the event would significantly contribute to building new accommodation units.
“Money from the event last year has been used to partly pay for a parcel of land that adjoins our proposed Tor/Hill Street residential development,” Ms Inskip said.
“The Society has been able to partner with the State Government and have committed to the construction of 27 new accommodation units on the land, with design work well underway and construction planned for 2024.”
In line with the Society’s Strategic Plan to also assist with Housing in the South West region, there are also negotiations underway to develop and construct an additional 70 dwellings over the next two years.
More information about this year’s Vinnies Community Sleepout is available.
