The Sunshine Coast Business Council is (SCBC) urging leaders across the region to step up and support the 2026 Vinnies CEO Sleepout, as housing stress and homelessness continue to escalate.
On Thursday, June 18, business and community leaders from across Australia will swap their beds for sleeping bags as part of the annual charity event, raising vital funds and awareness for people experiencing homelessness and housing insecurity.
The SCBC is once again rallying a team to take part in the local event, with a goal of raising $40,000 for St Vincent de Paul Society Queensland.
The call for support comes as the housing crisis continues to intensify across the Coast and state, with nearly 59,000 Queenslanders on the social housing waiting list – the highest number on record.
That number includes more than 33,000 people considered homeless or at severe risk of homelessness.
Across our region, more than 3500 locals are waiting an average of more than 30 months to secure a home, while rental costs have increased by about 60 per cent for houses and 70 per cent for units over the past five years.
The region’s rental vacancy rate remains critically low, around 0.8 per cent.
SCBC deputy chair Brady Sullivan says the statistics reflect a growing crisis affecting people across all parts of the community.
“This is no longer an issue affecting only society’s most vulnerable people,” Mr Sullivan says.
“We are seeing workers, families, older Australians and women escaping violence increasingly unable to secure safe and stable housing.
“Behind every statistic is a real person facing impossible circumstances – whether that’s sleeping in a car, couch surfing or making the difficult choice between paying rent and putting food on the table.
“The Vinnies CEO Sleepout is an opportunity for the business community to step up, show leadership and play a tangible role in supporting people doing it tough in our own backyard.”
Sunshine Coast Vinnies CEO Sleepout committee chair Anthony Walsh says demand for support services across Queensland continues to rise.
“In the past financial year alone, Vinnies Queensland supported more than 238,000 vulnerable Queenslanders, including more than 18,000 people across the Sunshine Coast region,” Mr Walsh says.
“The funds raised through the CEO Sleepout directly support frontline services, emergency accommodation, food relief, housing assistance and programs that help people rebuild their lives.”
To join the Sunshine Coast Business Council team or donate, visit ceosleepout.org.au.
