Seeing homeless pulls at heartstrings
SEEING a homeless man pushing a trolley along city streets with his young son pulled at David Collins’ heartstrings.
The director of Prestige Patios and Outdoors is a young father-of-three and seeing the family on the streets two months ago made him realise the seriousness of homelessness.
He was one of 44 people who slept rough on Tuesday night as part of the Homeless for a Week campaign.
Basement Soup Kitchen coordinator Nat Spary launched the campaign to raise awareness and funds for the city’s homeless.
Community and business leaders joined him to experience what it is like to sleep rough.
Mr Spary said he planned a few things so people would gain the real experience.
They started off sleeping in a CBD alleyway when Mr Spary asked police to come and move them along.
They later arrived at the train station where he arranged a group of skaters who woke them up by making noise.
“I wanted to let people know what it is really like. Although it was one night I think they touched on the sense of what it is like to not have a home,” he said.
The group also encountered some hoons, who yelled profanities and mooned them.
Mr Spary said one of the highlights was a visit from a man who had been out of jail for 12 months.
He went around the town searching for the group so he could share his experience about being homeless after leaving jail.
“He searched all night for us and shared his story, he also rapped a song for us, so that was something nice and unexpected,” he said.
Together the community and business leaders have raised more than $58,000, including a $5000 donation from Mr Collins.
Mr Spary slept out on his own last night and will continue to live on the streets until Monday.