It was a fine effort by all concerned in the annual fundraiser for Canberra’s homeless held at hangar 47 somewhere in the Fairbairn airport precinct that’s a pain in the neck to find in the dark.
But find it we did and joined the hearty souls prepared to spend a night ostensibly homeless and looking for shelter for Vinnies raising money to use at the coalface of homelessness in the national capital.
Well the concrete at hangar 47 is about as comfortable as sleeping on rocks and not made better by spreading sheets of cardboard in stylish ways to diminish the frost, cold and wind let alone all the other comforts of your own bed, warmth and shelter.
The money raised in the ACT had almost reached $70,000 when I scarpered off to my own warmth, shelter and food just a bit more substantial than soup and bread.
While this effort is a mighty example of local CEOs, public sector and business leaders, teachers, footballers and supporters raising money, we do have to consider how we’ve reached this ever increasing state of homelessness and put efforts into solutions with a concerted effort to make affordable accommodation available, and it would seem imperative to make the long and arduous run around of services for those in need easier.
Yes we have problems, but we’re smart enough to solve them.
Imagine sleeping rough every night……too many people have to.
