It may have been one of the coldest nights of the year in Adelaide, but one real estate business had warm hearts as they more than doubled their fundraising goal for the Vinnies CEO Sleepout.
Ouwens Casserly CEO Nathan Casserly was among about 100 CEOs who slept rough at the Wilson Car Park on Sultram Place at the weekend.
Mr Casserly said the company undertook various fundraising efforts with an original target of $10,000, but by the night they had raised a total of $20,357.
“To learn that approximately 6000 people in Adelaide sleep on our streets without a roof over their heads was shocking and we felt that this was an issue that strongly related to our company and our mission,” he said.
“It gives a real sense of gratitude and understanding that we need to raise awareness of the serious issue of homelessness in society.”
According to Vinnies CEO David Wark, the latest census results indicates homelessness is increasing overall in Australia, with 50 people homeless to every 10,000 – an increase from 48 per 10,000 in 2011.
Throughout the fundraising campaign Ouwens Casserly was strongly aligned with Vinnies to determine how they – and broader community – could best support the charity and those in need.
In the lead up to the CEO Sleepout, they implemented a clothing drive campaign in every office. Each office received two Vinnies bins for both employees and the public to contribute to.
“This has been extremely successful and we received an overwhelming amount of donations,” Mr Casserly said. “This initiative could be easily implemented into many businesses and its impact would be invaluable on those in need.”
Nathan and Alex Ouwens started Ouwens Casserly in 2014 to help people of Adelaide realise their dreams and aspirations through property.
They thanked their team, the whole community and, most importantly, Vinnies for their amazing efforts each year.
