Aine McGrath and her team at Savi Communications always knew homelessness was a major problem, but a shocking discovery has prompted the team to make a heartwarming sacrifice in the run-up to the festive season.
Based in South Melbourne, Ms McGrath and her team have spent a lot of time in St Kilda and Melbourne’s CBD, where they often see homeless people sleeping rough.
But homelessness isn’t just about rough sleeping – in fact it only accounts for 6% of cases.
The rest are people who lived in cars, surfed on a bus, or moved through unstable housing.
“Once we understood that, we felt we had to do something,” said Ms. McGrath, director of Savi Communications, a full-service creative agency with 32 employees specializing in the real estate sector.
“What really stuck with us is that a lot of people sleep during the day because it’s too unsafe at night – that’s heartbreaking.”
The statistics on homelessness in Australia are confronting.
According to 2021 Census figures, approximately 122,000 Australians are homeless every night, and one in ten Australians are at risk of homelessness.
“Frankly, it’s devastating,” Ms McGrath said.
“One in 10 means this affects every community. It’s not an abstract number; it’s real people, close to all of us.”
The revelation motivated the Savi Communications team to donate the entire cost of their annual Christmas party for customers, partners and suppliers to the new launch, A House for Everyone Foundation.
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Supported by leading industry voices across Australia, the foundation aims to raise awareness, raise funds and build long-term change for people experiencing homelessness and housing insecurity.
Ms McGrath said when the team started planning the Christmas party, something didn’t feel right.
“Working in a housing creation sector that already faces so many challenges, we are acutely aware of the growing homelessness crisis across Australia,” Ms McGrath said.
Savi Communications director Aine McGrath and her team will host an office sleepover for A Night Without Home. Image: supplied
“The thought of another Christmas felt out of step with the challenges many Australians face.
“So we decided to channel that investment into something that really matters.”
The first major initiative of the A Home for All Foundation, A night without a homeruns until November 11.
Australians have been encouraged to join the real estate industry and spend A Night Without Home, whether that means couch surfing, a night at the office, sleeping in the car, sleeping outside, leaving the comforts of home or raising money in some other way.
The foundation was close to reaching its $1 million fundraising goal at the time of publication, with thousands of donations pouring in across the country since early October.
All money raised this financial year will go to charities working to support people experiencing homelessness as a result of family and domestic violence.
The majority of people experiencing homelessness couch surf, sleep in cars or move from one temporary accommodation to another. Image: supplied
In addition to supporting the A Home for All Foundation, Savi Communications supports You Matter, helping women rebuild after domestic violence, and team members regularly volunteer with Sacred Heart Mission’s community meal program.
Ms McGrath and her entire team will host an office sleepover for A Night Without Home on November 27, with sleeping bags and no comfort, but with an important reflection on what home means.
“It will be humbling and grounding to experience, even for one night, a small glimpse of what so many experience every day,” Ms McGrath said.
“We’d really like to encourage our network to get involved, and even donate the cost of what they would spend on a night out, a new outfit or an Uber fare, every little bit helps.
“We just want to lead by example and hopefully encourage others to do the same.”
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