Chappell Foundation returns to SCG for homelessness cause

The Chappell Foundation will on August 5 host its second annual 'Stars SCG Sleepout' to raise funds and awareness for homelessness in Australia.

Following on from the success of last year's event, which raised more than $56,000, a galaxy of stars – including Chappell himself – will again use the Sydney Cricket Ground outfield as a giant green bed, with more than $10,000 already raised for the cause.

Chappell launched 'The Chappell Foundation' more than two years ago, and the charity – which has zero employees and instead relies on the generosity of volunteers – has already raised around one million dollars to donate to its four partner NGOs on the front line of the fight against homelessness. That figure is set to be more than doubled in the next financial year with entrepreneur John Singleton individually pledging one million dollars to the cause.

"On Monday August 5, The Chappell Foundation has organised a 'Sports Stars Sleepout' at the SCG to focus public attention on the size of Australia's youth homelessness problem and to raise funds to help alleviate its impact," Chappell said ahead of 'Homelessness Week 2019', which begins next Sunday.

"For a country as affluent as ours, to have over 116,000 homeless people (including 40,000 under 25) is unacceptable. Very few people choose to be homeless. It's a product of broken homes, broken marriages, broken people. A lot of these people just fall through the gaps, and we'd like to help close some of those gaps."

Together with some revered Australians who serve as patrons on the board of the Chappell Foundation (Sir Peter Cosgrove, Dame Quentin Bryce, Hon. John Howard AC, Hon Kim Beazley AC, Patrick Rafter, Dennis Lillee AM, Greg Chappell MBE, John Singleton AM, Basil Sellers AM, Sir Ron Brierley and Lisa Wilkinson AM among them), Chappell has helped assemble an impressive array of sportspeople for the Sleepout despite the winter cold in Sydney.

"We've been blown away by the number of past players who have put their hands up to be part of it," Chappell said. "It's a fantastic array of sports and sportspeople across the spectrum.

"I think that speaks to the fact that homelessness strikes a chord with everyone. As people have become aware of The Chappell Foundation, they've all commented on what a great cause it is, and said good on us for doing it.

"There's plenty of support out there for some high-profile causes, and while there is some good support for homelessness across a realm of services, it still doesn't get on the radar enough.

"As much as we want to raise money, I'm just as keen to raise awareness – I'd like to think we can make a real difference by getting more people aware of what is a huge issue."

You can make a donation to join the fight against youth homelessness in Australia here.