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THOUSANDS of corporate leaders will once again be trading their three-piece suits for tracksuits next month in the annual Vinnies CEO Sleep Out, a national event organised by the St Vincent de Paul Society aiming to raise funds for the homeless.
Peter Maloney, chief executive of GlobalX Legal Solutions, is among those currently leading the charge in fundraising totals for the Brisbane event which is set to take place on June 23.
Committed to personally matching his company's target of $20,000 dollar-for-dollar, Maloney says the CEO Sleepout is a prime opportunity for well-connected executives to give back to the community in the most personal way possible.
"The CEO Sleepout is an important fundraising initiative for the St Vincent de Paul Society, with all generated funds assisting the homeless by providing real alternatives to help break the cycle," says Maloney.
"It has always been the Australian way to help out those in need, but with so many people sleeping on the streets each night, more needs to be done to address this issue."
Maloney, who has spent many years as a Vinnies volunteer, believes homelessness is a scourge that has the potential to affect anybody, often through no real fault of their own.
He says that in many cases living on the streets is not a matter of choice, but rather the result of external social, economic and health-related factors.
Vinnies National chief executive Dr John Falzon says the nationwide fundraising target this year is $6 million, with each dollar set to go towards breaking Australia's poverty cycle for good.
"Currently there are thousands of homeless people across the country, with one in four being children under the age of 12," says Falzon.
"Australian business, government and charities must continue to work together to do all we can to reduce the number of people living in desperate situations."
GlobalX Legal Solutions has raised more than $6100 for the cause so far, making it the fourth-largest contributor in Queensland.
Other CEO's participating in the Sleep Out include Coca-Cola Amatil managing director Alison Watkins, Red Bull managing director Jason Sargent and Kennards Hire chief executive Liz Ward.
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