Three high profile members of the UNSW sporting alumni community will throw their support behind The Chappell Foundation (TCF) as they fight youth homelessness in Australia.
Former Australian cricket stars Alex Blackwell and Michael Slater, along with former judo Olympian and UNSW Judo Club royalty Warren Rosser will take on the challenge of sleeping rough at the Sydney Cricket Ground on 3 August to raise money to support vulnerable young people.
Before the pandemic it was estimated that 43,000 young Australians were homeless, with many forced to sleep every night the way these athletes will for one night. Alongside former test captain and TCF co-founder Greg Chappell, they will fight off the cold and damp armed only with a sleeping bag, a few sheets of cardboard and a sheet of plastic if it rains.
"More sports stars have signed up for the sleepout than last year," said TCF chair Darshak Mehta. "In the circumstances, this is a magnificent effort."
"The Sleepout is our Foundation's first public fundraiser since the Covid-19 lockdown and it is fair to say we approached the challenge with some trepidation. Since mid-March our frontline charity partners have been struggling with the consequences of the pandemic and we have responded by distributing almost $700,000 to them.
"But TCF needs fresh funding to continue supporting them and now we're looking to the sport-loving public and those who care about homelessness to support the Sleepout by sponsoring our stars. TCF has distributed more than $2 million over the past three years to charities at the coalface. Every dollar we raise is put to work to make a difference."
Greg Chappell said the Foundation hoped to exceed the 2019 Sleepout's $46,700 net fundraising.
"Given the economic effects of the COVID crisis, this is an ambitious target," he said. "But with more than 43,000 people under 25 homeless on any night of the year, we all have to strive harder to overcome this blight on our nation."
"More often than not, these youngsters are victims of awful circumstances and I think if every Australian could show a little more empathy with them we can make real inroads into the problem. Even in our short history, we at the Chappell Foundation have seen first-hand dozens of young lives helped back on to a good path by the charities we fund."
UNSW alumnus Warren Rosser is looking forward to taking on the challenge for this important cause.
"I am proud to be part of the TCF Sleepout," he said. "On Monday 3rd August, we will build a cardboard shelter and experience sleeping rough for the night – a reality that 1 in 200 Australians face every night."
The frontline charities TCF supports include BackTrack Youth Works, Ecumenical Coffee Brigade, Stepping Stone House, WAYS Youth and Family, Taldumande Youth Service and the Burdekin Association.
To sponsor our UNSW stars as they aim for their individual fundraising targets, please click on the links below.