1 August 2026

On one of the coldest nights of the year, a group of Vasey RSL Care central office staff joined 150 others to sleep outdoors in support of those who have no choice but to do this every night.

In response to the increasing levels of homelessness in Australia, a group of staff from Vasey RSL Care took part in the inaugural Southern Peninsula Sleepout at The Ranch near Boneo.

This was not a night of comfort – it was about experiencing first-hand what it’s like to be sleeping outdoors when the temperatures are approaching zero. While one night outdoors cannot replicate the daily reality faced by those without stable housing, it was a memorable experience and an insight into the challenges faced every day by an increasing number in our community.

The event was initiated by The Ranch Adventure Park in Boneo on the Mornington Peninsula, in conjunction with the Southern Peninsula Community Support (SPCS), an organisation that supports people along the Mornington Peninsula experiencing homelessness, both with crisis assistance and a whole range of programs designed to prevent homelessness in the first place. Last financial year, they supported 421 individuals experiencing homelessness and 1,300 people at risk of homelessness.

During the evening, a presentation from SPCS talked about the increasing numbers of people sleeping rough along the foreshore or sleeping in their vehicles. Most of their work is funded by donations and the event was aiming to raise $20,000 for them. The final total for the event reached $25,197 and SPCS were delighted with the result.

“The Winter Sleepout is about so much more than raising money,” said Kera from SPCS. “It gives our community an opportunity to come together, learn more about the reality of homelessness on the Southern Peninsula and show people doing it tough that they are not alone. We are incredibly grateful to everyone who took part, donated and supported the event – every contribution helps us continue to be there for people when they need us most.”

Jodi runs The Ranch with her husband and tells us:

“We’re so proud to have hosted the inaugural Southern Peninsula SleepOut to bring awareness to the homelessness issue on the Peninsula and raise much needed funds for the incredible work of Southern Peninsula Community Support. We were overwhelmed by the support of the community and sponsors, and we’re proud to have contributed and hopefully started something that can be an annual event.”

If you would like support SPCS, please visit this page.

Support the V Centre

Vasey RSL Care supports veterans who are homeless or on a trajectory towards homelessness through the Veteran Empowerment Program at the V Centre in Ivanhoe. This unique program gives these veterans the opportunity to overcome their issues with wraparound support and accommodation. It has now been running for over two and a half years and we continue to seek donations and ongoing funding to ensure it can continue into the future.

We welcome donations of any size for the work of the V Centre: donate here

There are many other ways you can help those who are homeless – please check your local area to see what organisations are supporting homelessness and during this week especially, let us all show our support.