Yokogawa Australia’s John Hewitt participates in CEO Sleepout fundraiser

YOKOGAWA Australia Managing Director, John Hewitt, participated in the CEO Sleepout on 18 June to raise funds for Sydney’s homeless. Hewitt was required to sleep overnight on a sheet of cardboard in the forecourt of Sydney’s Luna Park, regardless of the weather, in order to have the kind of experience that literally tens of thousands of men, women and children go through every night.

The CEO Sleepout is a fund-raising initiative of the St Vincent de Paul Society, which is now in its fourth year. Money raised through the sponsorship of CEOs participating in the event went directly towards providing relief to the homeless through crisis accommodation, domestic violence support, access to budget counseling, legal advice and education.

According to Hewitt, the statistics regarding the number of homeless people listed on the CEO Sleepout website are quite harrowing. “We think we’re going through a challenging period in our industry right now, but at least we’ve all got homes to go to, food on the table, and friends and family to support us,” he said. Hewitt hopes to provide a focus for Yokogawa employees, customers and suppliers to help those who are less fortunate.

Dick Smith, Brian McCarthy of Fairfax Media and Tony Stuart of the NRMA were among the group of CEOs who participated in the event. An unknown Yokogawa employee said the night was "one of the longest and coldest nights of the year".

Sponsorships A $50 sponsorship provided bedding, a meal and a fresh change of clothes for a homeless person staying at a St Vincent de Paul Society hostel or refuge. A $100 sponsorship helped to equip the Vinnies Night Patrol vans with the food, warmth and friendship they bring to homeless people across cities every night of the year. A $500 sponsorship enabled a homeless person to complete a life skills course -- preparing him/her to re-enter the community and make a contribution to society. A $1,000 sponsorship enabled a survivor of domestic violence and his/her children to make the supported transition from a St Vincent de Paul Society refuge into independent housing.