On Friday, August 7, Fusion Central West and Veritas House Inc will host Sleep In Your Car, where people who raise $100 can spend the night trying to sleep in a car or a cardboard box in the Fusion hall to gain an insight into what homeless people in Orange experience every night.

Among those taking part will be Fusion Central West volunteer and part time-employee Amy Grant who, until two years ago, spent about two years staying at other people’s homes, mostly on her father’s couch in Orange, while she tried to find her a place to call her own.

“At my dad’s place it wasn’t really suitable but it was a place,” Miss Grant said.

Although she felt she had nowhere to call her own, Miss Grant said she did not consider herself homeless at the time.

“I had a roof over my head but when I think about it now I kind of was,” she said.

“I’ve been with Fusion for a while and I hear about it, but I never think it’s going to happen to me.”

Miss Grant is also hoping to raise $500, and if she makes it will spend the night in the Fusion bus.

Fusion Central West team leader Malcolm Rankin said he had heard of homeless people staying in tents and young people couch surfing at friend’s homes.

“I think for young people the major thing is breakdown of families,” Mr Rankin he said.

Across Australia he said there were 100,000 people who were homeless and 26,000 of them were young people.

Sleep In Your Car will be at the Fusion Community Centre in Anson Street from 7pm.

“[It’s for] business people, people interested in giving up a night’s sleep to help another have a better night’s sleep in the end,” Mr Rankin said. 

Participants will make care packs with items such as soap, mini-shampoos, mini-deodorant, toothbrush and toothpaste for Veritas House to give to young homeless people in Orange.

The program will also include guest speakers, a soup dinner, box and car decorating.

Money raised will be divided between Fusion for its youth programs and Veritas House Inc to be used for helping young homeless people in Orange.

For more information, to join in or donate visit www.sleepinyourcar.com.au.

tanya.marschke@fairfaxmedia.com.au