Horsham business leaders begin homeless campaign

Business Horsham announced the Couch to House initiative after the idea was born during a homeless awareness event, 'A Night on the Couch in the Park,' where business and community leaders slept out in May Park, while discussing solutions to Horsham's homeless problem.

The progress of 'Target 365' will be displayed on a sign in the window of the Telstra store in Firebrace Street, Horsham, which will tally how many nights' accommodation community donations have covered, at $100 a night.

Donations will be placed into a fund managed by Wimmera Uniting Care, which will use the money to assist anyone who needs a place to stay.

Horsham Telstra store owner Gary Howden, whose business has already donated enough money for seven nights' accommodation, said he was inspired by the May Park event in August and decided he wanted to make a difference.

"In Horsham people don't choose to be homeless and we can't just wave our magic wand to build more houses," he said.

"It takes a lot of guts to get out of a broken home or a domestic violence situation, so this money will pay for a night in a hotel or other similar accommodation for them to stay."

Administration assistant at Business Horsham Wendy Mitchell said it would be an effective short-term fix for homeless people, while groups such as the Salvation Army, Wimmera Uniting Care and Grampians Community Health helped them find permanent accommodation.

"Homeless people in Horsham don't sleep on the streets, they go from couch to couch, putting them in a Catch 22 situation,'' she said.

"A night of permanent accommodation can help someone get things together, gain employment and turn their life around."

Sue Winfield, the first community member to donate to Target 365, said she wanted to donate after she worked with young homeless people through Wimmera Uniting Care.

"My husband Bruce and I thought it was a great initiative that would help people immediately," she said.