Real estate executives from across the country are gearing up to brave one of the coldest nights of the year as part of the 2025 Vinnies CEO Sleepout, helping raise vital funds and awareness for Australians experiencing homelessness.
The annual event, now in its 20th year, will be held on June 19 in cities and towns around Australia, bringing together business leaders and professionals from LJ Hooker, Woodards, Ray White, Raine & Horne and more.
Participants will swap their warm beds for a sleeping bag on the cold, hard ground in an effort to raise money for the St Vincent de Paul Society and the housing and support services it provides.
The event comes amid worsening housing stress and homelessness across Australia.
Rough sleeping has surged 22% nationwide over the past three years – and by 51% in New South Wales alone, according to homelessness.org.au. Housing affordability stress is now the leading reason people seek homelessness services, increasing by 36%, and the proportion of employed people needing help has also grown.
A December AHURI study reveals a shift in homelessness from inner cities to the suburbs, with more than 60% of cases recorded in suburban areas in the 2021 Census, up from 48% in 2001.
LJ Hooker CEO Christine Mikhael (pictured left) will take part in the Sydney event for the fourth time, serving as an ambassador for the second consecutive year.
“After nearly 40 years in real estate, I’ve seen how central housing is to people’s security and identity and how easy it is for homelessness to be left out of the conversation,” Mikhael said.
“We talk about affordability and supply every day, but that means very little to someone who’s locked out of the system altogether, living one day at a time.
“The Sleepout doesn’t replicate homelessness, but it does give space to stop, listen, and think about what more we can do. This isn’t something our industry can afford to look past.
“We are privileged every day to help provide shelter to those who can afford it – this is something we can do for those who can’t.”
In the past year alone, more than 3,400 people in Sydney were turned away from Vinnies housing services due to limited capacity. Women aged over 55 were identified as the fastest-growing cohort facing homelessness, realestate.com.au reported.
In Melbourne, Woodards Executive Chairman John Piccolo (pictured center) will be joining the sleepout for the ninth time alongside team members, having already raised hundreds of thousands of dollars over the years.
“When we arrived in Australia, it was just my mum and I and a trunk, and while we didn’t have a lot of money, we always had shelter,” Piccolo said.
“It wasn’t the Ritz, but it was better than no shelter.
“Personally, I think those early days instilled the right values and work ethic in me, and now I see the sleepout as an opportunity to give back.”
Woodards’ fundraising efforts have already funded eight soup vans for Vinnies, with the team now aiming to secure donations for a ninth. The vans provide food, support, and social connection for people at risk of or experiencing homelessness.
In Adelaide, Ray White SA and NT CEO Matt Lindblom (pictured right) will be sleeping out at the city’s zoo.
“We live in the luckiest country in the world, and we should be doing more to make sure everyone in Australia is taken care of,” Lindblom said.
“We can all play a part in making this happen. It's not just up to the government or not-for-profit organisations—if we all contribute and help, then homelessness can one day become a thing of the past.”
In Canberra, Raine & Horne Commercial Canberra principal and managing director Mark Nicholls and his team will also participate for the third time.
“We see a lot of people experiencing homelessness around Canberra, so the sleepout is a good cause to get behind,” Nicholls said.
“My wife, who also works in the business, volunteers with the Vinnies night van and she sees their stories firsthand, so it’s a cause that’s close to our hearts.”
Western Australia’s CEO Sleepout will be held on June 26. The initiative continues to grow each year, with industry figures stepping up to support Australians doing it tough.
To donate or find out more, visit: ceosleepout.org.au
