Highest individual donation

Raising funds for the homeless

Nicole Brittain, grant manager, Jewish and Israel programs ,Gandel Foundation was one of the 1001 people registered with Melbourne City Mission Sleep at the G event that night.

Nicole Brittain and Steven Gandel combat a cold night at the MCG.
Nicole Brittain and Steven Gandel combat a cold night at the MCG.

In Melbourne on May 16 the temperature was just under 10 degrees.

Imagine spending the night outdoors in a sleeping bag laid out on a piece of cardboard.

Nicole Brittain, grant manager, Jewish and Israel programs ,Gandel Foundation was one of the 1001 people registered with Melbourne City Mission Sleep at the G event that night.

“This is a cause close to my heart, not for personal reasons, but because I think it’s a major issue in Australia and I don’t think the government (for whatever reasons) looks after young people as well as they can,” she explained. “It’s my little contribution that I like to make once a year.

“This is the second year I have participated in this event and Steven Gandel, John’s eldest grandson, joined me for the first time.”

Brittain was the top fundraising individual, achieving $20,415. “Thanks to John Gandel AC and Gandel Foundation, who matched my donations, allowing me to achieve this amount,” she said.

Although the night is billed as a sleepover, Brittain said she doesn’t sleep, as it is too uncomfortable but there is a united feeling of compassion from all the people there on the night.

The lights are off at 11pm and back on at 5.15am.

“The event organisers provide a roll for breakfast, but I head home to get ready for work.”

According to the Australian Institute of Health and Welfare (AIHW), 25 per cent of Victorians without a home are young people aged between 12 and 24.

The fundraising and one-night sleepover at the iconic MCG help raise essential funds to build youth housing and support young people experiencing homelessness. This year $749,014 was the total achieved.

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