Bullets CEO Malcolm Watts to raise awareness and funds through Vinnies CEO Sleep Out

On June 20, Brisbane Bullets Chief Executive Officer, Malcolm Watts will be participating in the Vinnies CEO Sleepout to raise awareness and funds for Australians in need.

The Vinnies CEO Sleepout is a one-night event held on one of the longest and coldest nights of the year, where hundreds of CEOs, business owners as well as community and government leaders around the country sleep outdoors to support the many Australians who are experiencing homelessness and people at risk of homelessness.

Earlier this week, Watts sat down with CEO Sleepout Ambassador, executive and fellow Team GOATS member Matt Kratiuk to discuss the importance of the event and the impact funds raised will have on the wider Queensland community.

“Vinnies Queensland are committed to building 500 Homes across Queensland in the next five years and 2.5 years in, we now have half of those homes approved,” Kratiuk said.

“The money that we raise at the CEO Sleepout will directly go to building those homes and every $140,000 that we raise provides Vinnies Queensland enough equity to build one of those homes.”

While raising much needed funds for vital support services is important, encouraging empathy and awareness is a huge part of the event.

“For me as much as bringing this great community together and raising millions of dollars is amazing it’s more about the advocacy and the awareness piece. It’s about bringing this community together and wrapping that community around solving this problem,” Kratiuk added.

To donate to the Vinnies CEO Sleepout and learn more click here.

Watts acknowledges the importance of giving back and supporting a cause such as the Vinnies CEO Sleepout where possible, when you are in a fortunate position.

“It’s a great feeling to be able to contribute to something that’s bigger than ourselves,” Watts said.

“The impact we can have with more voices, spreading the advocacy on the cause is really important.”

For Watts, hearing from people with lived experiences and learning about ways to make an ongoing impact within the community is important.

“There’s opportunities to meet other people, listen to stories, share stories and it really is around advocating and making a contribution.”

“The event itself is pretty special…You remember it is one night, but there’s people out there that spend months or years on the street and it does give you a real eye opener on what the challenges are.”