In Forbes it’s estimated slightly less at an average of 50-55 people per night.

These alarming statistics have compelled housing support workers from CentaCare Wilcannia Forbes to hold a special event to raise awareness of homelessness in the Central West.

They’re calling it the Parkes Sleepout and they’re inviting both Parkes and Forbes communities to join them at the Parkes PCYC on Wednesday, August 2.

The sleepout will tie in with National Homelessness Week, which runs annually from August 7-13.

“We’re doing this because there is an issue in the Central West and we want people to know we can help,” CentaCare housing support worker Andrew Bament said.

“We don’t have the ‘sleeping on the street’ type of homelessness [in Parkes], it’s couch surfers, overcrowding in homes, and people sleeping in their cars.

“If you don’t see it, people don’t think there’s an issue.

“The further west you go the harder it is.”

The event will begin at 6pm, with a sausage sizzle dinner and a bacon and egg roll breakfast provided.

Participants are asked to bring their own sleeping bag to bunk on the gym mats.

Andrew and colleague and fellow organiser Rebecca Palenapa-Pili are hoping to show a family movie during the night, as well as a documentary on homelessness in Australia.

There will also be games and board games to play, and a gold coin donation box to raise funds to purchase homeless sleeping tents for people in extreme cases.

“One in 200 Australians are homeless on any given night,” Andrew said.

“If you work that out based on the latest Census population of Parkes, that’s 75-80 people who are homeless each night in the Parkes Shire.

“We believe it’s more than that.”

It also works out to be an estimated 60-65 homeless people in Cowra based on its 2016 population of 12,460, 50-55 homeless in Young (population 10,295), 200-205 homeless in Orange (population 40,344), 195-200 homeless in Dubbo (population 38,943), 10-15 homeless in Grenfell (population 2573) and 1-5 homeless in Eugowra (population 779) – every night.

“We (CentaCare) have a specialist team that deals with homelessness,” Andrew said.

CentaCare Wilcannia Forbes covers Parkes, Peak Hill, Trundle, Tullamore, Bogan Gate, Forbes, Condobolin, Cowra, Grenfell and Lake Cargelligo.

“We work with the Department of Housing and real estate agents, we do tenancy support as well…When we’re rehoming someone, it’s a joint effort, a lot of services come together,” Rebecca said.

“There are services out there trying to help. If you know it’s there, let us know,” Andrew added.

There is strictly no alcohol and no outside food permitted at the August 2 event.

For more information and to RSVP, please contact CentaCare on 6863 5426.