Danny Crouch

Be More Homely - One night isn't a lot, but it can make a whole lot of difference

Be More Social - Why help:

Because homelessness is a number too high regardless of what number I give you.

Be More Social - How can I help:

Well, that's debatable depending on how you look at it. Some people say that not having to pay rent, not having to pay for food, not having to pay rates and taxes is pretty free. But for some, a lot of people look down on homelessness and I've seen it happen. I was walking the streets as I do with Pip, trying to Pip out on search for finding people's smiles. And I heard a woman walking her dog and the dog was peeing on the side of a building. That was nice enough as it is, but hey, when there's no trees in Surfers Paradise or not very many of them, they've gotta go where they've gotta go. They're like two year olds. But you don't want your dog wearing a nappy. But there was a homeless guy sleeping on the ground and she said to the dog, 'why don't you just piss on the rubbish?' And I thought, my God, if that was a bloke, I'm not a violent person, I'm a pacifist, but if that was a bloke, I don't know what I would have done.

Be More Social - What happened:

Another story about a young bloke who I met the weekend of the Cyclone. I asked permission to sit down and have a chat because Pip went up to him. He smiled, sort of didn't smile. He was lost in deep thought. He said the Corso was peaceful, especially around 3.30 in the morning. Quiet due to the Cyclone. He worked, he could afford a place, but every cent he got went to his sister on the Sunshine Coast. He said, 'I don’t want my sister to go through what I went through.' He chose homelessness to protect her. And to me, that’s wisdom. That’s strength.

Be More Social - When's it happening and where:

Right now. It's happening today. It happened yesterday. It'll happen tomorrow unless we act. In Surfers Paradise. On the Gold Coast. In every city and every town in Australia.

The CEO SleepOut is happening at CBus stadium on the Gold Coast, June 19th. Time TBA, join our BMS team today. All are welcome. Bring a bus load. Come pick us up from the Surfers Paradise promenade, I'll be with the local homeless guys and girls. The one's with the Blue Be More Social T-shirts (and hopefully jumpers and jackets by then)

Who:

The people you ignore. The ones you step over. Or the ones, like that young man, who are more noble than most CEOs.

The Who is the Glue, the Who is You. Bring your family, bring your school class on an excursion, bring your employees, bring your mum (and Rove said "say hi to her, for me". Where I simply say G'day.

Because:

Because sometimes those with the least to give show us the greatest strength of character. Because no one should be judged for how they choose to survive.

Every night, thousands of Australians experience homelessness. But it doesn't have to be that way. This year I'm taking part in the Vinnies CEO Sleepout to raise money for the St Vincent de Paul Society to support Australians in need. For one night, I'll be sleeping outside as part of an eye-opening experience to raise awareness and bring home the realities of homelessness.

To help break the devastating cycle of homelessness, I need your support. Will you help me to reach my target? Donating $1 can make a huge difference to people who need it most.

Read a chapter, buy a book, buy a T-shirt, or even a jacket or two. Buy extras and bring them along and give them away. You too can be part of our team. Every little dollar counts, because it's going to a great cause.

Drop a comment wherever you found this message. Find us on socials... BE MORE SOCIAL Today and St Vinnies. Check out our websites (You can Google that one, we can't do it all for you). And remember to share it with someone you know whose sleeping warm and snug in a bed tonight. Not to make them feel guilty, but to allow them to feel needed. Needed to Be More Social and Simply Say G'day.