This year, Opal was proud to partner with the City of Canterbury Bankstown for the Mayor’s Mission Australia Light’s Out Sleepout at Bankstown Airport. As part of the event, Opal donated 80 cardboard shelters for attendees of the sleepout.

City of Canterbury Bankstown Mayor Bilal El-Hayek hosted the sleepout on Friday, 11 August, from 7 pm – 7 am to raise funds and awareness to support those experiencing or at risk of homelessness.

Joe Ardolino, Regional GM, Opal Specialty Packaging NSW, helped with the donations supplied by Opal Speciality Packaging Orchard Hills and decided to participate in the sleepout.

“It was such a rewarding experience meeting amazing people, doing amazing things for others,” he said.

The event occurred out in the open at Bankstown Airport and included dinner, supper and an early breakfast.

The impact of Homelessness in Australia*

• There are over 122,494 people experiencing homelessness on any given night.
• 94 per cent of people who are homeless are hidden from public view.
• More than 28,000 people experience homelessness are between the ages of 12 – 24 years old.
• Domestic and family violence is one of the leading causes of homelessness in Australia.
• Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islanders make up 3.2 per cent of the population but made up 20 percent of all homeless people on Census night.

*Data from Mission Australia.