“The lucky country that isn’t always,” Sarah reflects ahead of her first CEO Sleepout

When Sarah Ismail, Kinetic's Executive General Manager (WA/SA/NT), steps outside on the night of the Vinnies CEO Sleepout on 26 June, it won't just be her first time participating in the event - it'll be a deeply personal moment.

"I hate the cold, and I hate a bad night's sleep," Sarah admits. "I hate the idea of people having to do this every night."

It's this confronting reality that drove Sarah to sign up for her first CEO Sleepout, driven by what she describes as an increasingly urgent question she’s been asking herself: "What can I do?"

Sarah's decision to participate stems from witnessing how Australia's cost of living crisis is reshaping the face of homelessness. Through her volunteer work with Foodbank, she discovered a statistic that stuck with her - 60% of people accessing Foodbank services have someone in their household in paid employment.

"We're living in 'the lucky country' that isn't so lucky for everyone," she reflects. 

"When working families can't put food on the table, we need to acknowledge the number of people who face food insecurity and also homelessness – they are intrinsically linked."

This reality hits close to home in Sarah's daily routine. "I'm the person who hands my lunch to people at traffic lights on my daily commute," she says. But she's noticed something troubling – that "no one's handing out cash anymore.” In our increasingly cashless society, this leaves fewer opportunities for spontaneous acts of kindness that many vulnerable people rely on.

Sarah's role at Kinetic has given her unique insights into the diverse face of modern homelessness. She recalls the story of an elderly man and his son who purchased a bus, seeking to fit it out as a home for themselves.

One recent encounter particularly affected her: witnessing a man screaming at a homeless person to "get a job." The response was both simple and heartbreaking: "I would love to get a job, but it's hard with no fixed address."

"That exchange captured everything wrong with how we perceive homelessness," Sarah says.

"The stigma needs to be eradicated. Homelessness can affect anyone." 

The power of community

At her local supermarket, Sarah regularly chats with a couple of men experiencing homelessness. Their interactions have shifted her perspective entirely.

"They want to hug my dog, they want connection," she explains.

"They've fallen on hard times, but they're still people who crave the same human connections we all do."

These conversations have revealed the increasingly diverse demographic of homelessness - a reality that challenges outdated stereotypes about who finds themselves without shelter.

While Sarah is mindful that she can help people close to her and those she loves, she recognises that many vulnerable people don't have that safety net or community around them. Her participation in the CEO Sleepout represents her commitment to being part of that missing community for others.

"I have a vivid picture of what homelessness means for people - that confronting nature of having nowhere to go and losing your home," she says.

"It’s driven me to do what I can to raise awareness and funds to help prevent that reality.

"As Australians, we all have a role to play in supporting those who fall through the cracks."

To support Sarah's fundraising efforts for the Vinnies CEO Sleepout, visit her fundraising page here. Every dollar raised goes directly towards the St Vincent de Paul Society, assisting people experiencing poverty and inequality across Australia.