HILLS WINTER SLEEPOUT August 15,2020
Couches, cars and tents will be home for the night for people taking part in the seventh annual Hills Winter Sleepout on Saturday, August 15.
This year’s event has an added layer of urgency with the COVID-19 restrictions forcing more people out of work and to the edge of losing their homes.
Funds raised by the Hills Winter Sleepout will go to the Hills Community Aids Hills Homeless Prevention Initiative (HHPI) which assists people who are homeless or in danger of becoming homeless.
Last financial year the service helped 81 adults and 79 children through HHPI. (See case studies)
Event founder, Hills Shire Mayor Michelle Byrne said:
“The Hills Winter Sleepout provides an opportunity for people to understand there is homelessness in the Hills.
“It’s not just rough sleepers, it’s people sleeping in their cars or couch surfing in other people’s homes.
“The Hills Homeless Prevention Initiative helps people on the brink of losing their homes. This year is even more important because of COVID-19.”
Mici Beer from Hills Community Aid said: “There is homelessness in the Hills.”
Figures released by the Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS) which captured homelessness in the 2016 Census were examined for the report, Estimating Homelessness in Greater Western Sydney by Amy Lawton, Social Research and Information Officer, with Western Sydney Regional Information and Research Service.
It estimated that there were 14,147 homeless persons across the 13 local government areas in Greater Western Sydney in 2016 (including Hawkesbury and The Hills LGAs) an increase of 57.8% since 2011.
It broke down the number of people recorded as homeless by suburbs and areas.
• Baulkham Hills 209 (up 61.6 percent from 2011)
• Castle Hill 56
• Dural/Kenthurst 44
• Glenwood 36 (up 71percent)
• Hawkesbury 80
• Kellyville 42
• Richmond-Windsor 187
• Riverstone – Marsden Park 55
• Rouse Hill – McGrath’s Hill 19
• Quakers Hill 41
Mici Beer said this year’s 2020 Hills Winter sleepout had moved from Bella Vista Farm and was being done online via Zoom.
“We want people to get involved by sleeping on a couch, in their car or outside which is a reality for many people.”
The Zoom part of the evening will be held between 6pm to 9pm on August 15.
Cost is $20 for an individual, $40 for a family or $5 for a student.
It is hoped a lot of schools and students will get involved. For further information follow The Hills Winter Sleepout on Facebook www.facebook.com/The-Hills-Winter-Sleep-Out-2020-920280958013384/
CASE STUDIES:
COVID FALLOUT
Nancy Hillary, director of All Things Entertainment says she is grateful for the help through the The Hills Homeless Prevention Initiative funded by last year’s Winter Sleepout.
“We had two sold out shows and $500,000-worth of shows booked and on March 18 we literally had to cancel everything.
“I spent the next three days refunding ticket money. I had musicians contacting us and crying, asking how they were going to pay the rent.
“Everything shut down, it just went dark. The mental stress was severe. I didn’t know how I was going to pay my rent. I was getting text messages from the utilities saying pay now.
“I have never asked for help before.” “A friend gave me the number of Hills Community Aid who really saved the day, instantly coming to the rescue with rent, electricity and phone vouchers. Their assistance was friendly and empathetic and so efficient.
“It gave me respite from the harassment of service providers and took away the panic of possible eviction… we will forever be in their debt. An absolute godsend in the bleakest of times.”
MUM’S PLIGHT
April (not her real name) is a single mother of two who is going through chemotherapy for stage 4 breast cancer treatment.
She was working reduced hours due to extended treatments. Her partner left her when he found about her illness. Her parents moved in to stay with her so she could get her treatment without worrying about taking care of the children. On top of her reduced hours, she also had to pay $800.- to extend her parent’s visas.
She was falling behind in her rent and facing eviction. She heard about HCA and the HHPI program through a friend.
Apart from emergency relief assistance for essential food items, she was able to access HHPI assistance to bring her rent up to date to avoid the eviction.
