Homelessness – no laughing matter in the depths of winter
21/06/2012
Kelly Vincent is calling on government services and the wider community to recognise the plight of people with disabilities that are also experiencing homelessness or accommodation challenges.
“With our winter solstice today, and Adelaide experiencing flooding across some of the metro area, it is impossible to ignore how difficult it must be for people living rough on the streets,” says Dignity for Disability’s MLC Kelly Vincent.
“People with disabilities are overrepresented in homelessness and emergency accommodation figures due to the increased complexity of their living environment including accessibility needs, mental illness and limited employment opportunities and fixed incomes.
“With temperatures below 10 degrees most nights, those of us lucky enough to have adequate shelter, kitchen and bathroom facilities and heating to stave off the cool evenings must appreciate what it’s like for those that endured last night’s cold and very wet weather.
The St Vincent de Paul Society’s CEO sleep out is on tonight at Adelaide Oval and Ms Vincent congratulates Dignity for Disability President Rick Neagle for participating and raising awareness of the predicament of people with disabilities facing homelessness.
“I congratulate Rick, and other participants involved, for spending a winter’s night out in the open experiencing what many South Australians live through every day – no shelter and no safe place to call home.
“I hope the South Australian community will open their hearts, and their wallets, and donate to these non-government organisation initiatives for the homeless across winter,” said Ms Vincent.
Ms Vincent encourages people to donate to the St Vincent de Paul CEO sleep out at: http://www.ceosleepout.org.au/events/sa-sleepout/
