A PROGRAM to help combat homelessness in Horsham has reached new heights.
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Business Horsham’s Target 365 campaign – aiming to raise money to pay for 365 nights of accommodation for the homeless – began in August 2011 and this month reached a fundraising total of almost $50,000.
Business Horsham executive administrator Wendy Mitchell said the organisation hosted an inaugural ‘On the Couch in the Park’ forum in August 2011 where business and community leaders slept out in May Park while discussing solutions to Horsham’s homeless problem.
The forum was run in conjunction with Wimmera Uniting Care, the Salvation Army and Grampians Community Health. A cheque handover of $1815.60 brought the overall fundraising total across the past seven years to $47,282.45.
“Business Horsham's involvement with this campaign formed our contribution towards a local charity of choice,” Mrs Mitchell said.
“The aim of the Target 365 campaign was to raise 365 nights of emergency accommodation, based on $100 per night, for these organisations to utilise immediately for our homeless.
“We are very proud of our members and the community for supporting our initiative and along with the recent contribution, we also now hand over the program to Uniting Wimmera to manage.”
Uniting Wimmera executive officer Wendy Sturgess said the money meant her organisation could help provide emergency accommodation to people in crisis.
"Fifty-thousand dollars is the equivalent of 500 nights of emergency accommodation and it has unequivocally made a difference to people's lives when they are very vulnerable,” Ms Sturgess said.
"It's a credit to the community for raising this money."
Ms Sturgess highlighted Ms Mitchell's efforts in driving the campaign, as she prepares to take a year off work to travel.
"Her partnership is a great example of how one person really can make a difference,” she said.
"Uniting is really excited to have the opportunity to take all the great work Wendy has done and make sure that it continues to grow strong well into the future.
"One of the projects the team at Uniting are keen on rolling out is the installation of container homes for young people in our community – an initiative only made possible thanks for the generous support from the community.”
