vinnies ceo sleepout 2025
fundraising morning tea signifies start of initiative for wests illawarra
Wests Illawarra, Flagstaff and Shellharbour Marina Real Estate Officially Launch Illawarra Vinnies CEO Sleepout to Raise Vital Funds for Local Homelessness
14th May 2025: The CEOs of the Flagstaff Group, Shellharbour Marina Real Estate and Wests Illawarra are proud to be joining forces to raise vital funds essential local services by participating in the 20th Vinnies CEO Sleepout taking place on Thursday 19th June 2025.
Today, Flagstaff Group CEO Rodney Von Clark, Shellharbour Marina Real Estate Principal Michelle Mannex, and Wests Illawarra CEO Danny Munk, were joined by Regional Director South for St Vincent de Paul Society NSW, Solange Frost and The Hon. Alison Byrnes MP, the Federal Member for Cunningham to officially launch the Illawarra Vinnies CEO Sleepout to raise essential funds for local emergency assistance and to create awareness and fight against homelessness in the Wollongong region.
Homelessness and housing stress continue to grow in the Wollongong area. In the last 9 months, the St Vincent de Paul Society NSW has assisted more than 11,300 people with over $1.5m worth of assistance in the Wollongong region. This assistance includes food, clothing, accommodation support and help to pay other essential bills such as electricity and life-saving medicines.
Ms. Mannex comments: “This year, I’m taking part in the Vinnies CEO Sleepout to raise urgent funds and awareness for homelessness in Australia – an issue that’s growing rapidly, especially among women over 50. Many of these women have worked hard, raised families, and given so much to our communities, yet find themselves homeless due to factors like domestic violence, financial hardship, and a lack of affordable housing. As a woman in business who supports other women every day, I feel a deep responsibility to use my voice for change. Sleeping rough for one night is a small act, but it sends a powerful message of solidarity and helps fund vital, life-changing support services.”
Mr. Von Clark adds: “It’s easy to think homelessness could never happen to us. But the truth is, sometimes it’s just one event, one moment, and everything changes. That’s why I feel so strongly about the CEO Sleepout: when we help someone rebuild their life, we protect the heart of our community right here in Illawarra.”
2025 marks Wests Illawarra’s 11th year supporting the Vinnies CEO Sleepout. Mr Munk observes: “The issue of homelessness is like an iceberg; so much of it is invisible. The situation gets more difficult each year for many people in our communities. Homelessness can affect anyone – women, men, and children. It has devastating consequences for individuals and families, including an increasing number of young people and older women. At Wests Illawarra, we firmly believe it is our responsibility, as active members of the Illawarra community, to ensure people struggling on life’s journey are given our care and support. Having a safe and secure place to sleep should not be a privilege; it is a basic human need.”
Federal Member for Cunningham, Alison Byrnes MP adds: “Initiatives like the Vinnies CEO Sleepout are vital in raising the funds and awareness needed to keep services like the Vinnies Van on the road and reaching those who need it most.”
The Illawarra-based Vinnies Van was onsite at the Official Launch, acting as a tangible example of one of the services that benefits from the funds raised. It serves up to 70 meals each night to vulnerable community members in the local community and relies on funding from this annual fundraising event to continue meeting the growing demand for food support.
Regional Director South, St Vincent de Paul Society NSW, Solange Frost, says the charity’s services across the Illawarra region are stretched well beyond capacity: “As the cost-of-living crisis forces more people into homelessness, The Vinnies CEO Sleepout is the biggest fundraising event of the year for our homelessness services. While the issue of homelessness extends beyond one night, we hope to give participants a small insight into one of the great challenges of our time, as well as raise much needed funds to help meet the growing need in the community.”
Last year, over $41,000 was raised by Wests Illawarra for the Vinnies CEO Sleepout that went directly to providing nourishing meals for people experiencing homelessness in the Illawarra region and supporting the wages of two part-time van assistants for Vinnies Van Wollongong, a result only possible through the collective goodwill and action of the local community.
Wests Illawarra is also accepting donations of winter clothing as part of this initiative (beanies, jumpers, scarves etc.). Donations for ‘Winter Warmers’ are accepted at both Wests Illawarra and Flagstaff Group receptions.
The links to donate to Rod, Michelle and Danny are below:
Flagstaff Group CEO
Shellharbour Marina Real Estate Principal
Wests Illawarra CEO
