In a show of support and to raise awareness, management and staff from a major Western Sydney, led by Group CEO, Morgan Stewart, will sleep rough with a goal of raising more than $30,000 for youth support.
Blacktown Workers Club Group’s (BWCG) CEO and CO Winter Sleep Out took place on Thursday, June 17.
The recipient of the fund raising is the Blacktown Youth Services Association (BYSA), a youth-led organisation that has been providing resources to empower young people since 1986.
The young people that are welcomed into the BYSA community are often from disadvantaged situations, ranging from domestic and family violence, neglect and homelessness.
BWCG, Morgan Stewart, who had participated in similar fundraisers in the past, wanted to embrace the cause of the winter sleep out, but keep it local to support the community in which two of the clubs in the group operate.
“Homelessness is an issue currently affecting the Blacktown area and when the Workers team decide to make a difference, we want to see the impact in our local community. There are no more deserving recipients than BYSA - an organisation on the frontlines of youth in crisis and experiencing homelessness,” said Mr Stewart.
The Board of Directors of BWCG donated $10,000 to the fundraiser, part of their ongoing support towards BYSA.
Long-serving President, Kay Kelly, showing her unwavering support to the cause and the team, by spending the night sleeping rough during the CEO and CO Winter Sleep Out.
Major support for the fundraiser also came from the Payce Foundation, part of Paynter Dixon, the organisation currently undertaking the redevelopment of the club at 55 Campbell Street.
They followed their $20,000 sponsorship of the BYSA Outdoor Cinema with another $10,000 to support the CEO and CO Winter Sleep Out.
Paynter Dixon Executive Chairman and PAYCE Foundation Director James Boyd congratulated Blacktown Workers Club Group on another successful fundraiser.
Mr Boyd said: “Homelessness is a significant issue right across Sydney and we were pleased to assist Blacktown Workers, who are great supporters of their local community. Paynter Dixon and the PAYCE Foundation look forward partnering with the Blacktown Workers Club on future social justice community initiatives.”
Also showing their support, the team received visits from Mayor of Blacktown City Council, Tony Bleasdale and Member for Blacktown, Stephen Bali MP, who both opened the night with heartfelt speeches and expressions of congratulations and warm wishes to the team.
Since introduced to BYSA by Stephen Bali MP in 2020, BWCG has been on a journey of support for the local not-for-profit organisation, with donations and fundraising prior to the sleep out already exceeding $100,000.
The CEO and CO Winter Sleep Out generated an extra $33,385 in funding for BYSA, meaning that the support from the BWCG has now exceeded $136,000.
BWCG and BYSA thank the supporters who made the fundraiser such a huge success:
Major Supporters – Payce Foundation (Paynter Dixon) and Blacktown Workers Club Group.
Gold Supporters – Gold Security Management.
Silver Supporters – EP&T Global.
Bronze Supporters – Sunblest Cleaning Services, CFI, Fishboy, Wrights.
For more information on BYSA visit their website www.bysa.org.au
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