Eleven-year-old Melbourne Girls Grammar student Harriet has become the top individual fundraiser for Melbourne Airport's 2025 Car Park Sleepout, after a school project opened her eyes to the reality of hidden homelessness.

The Car Park Sleepout takes place tonight, 16 October.

Harriet discovered how many women and children are forced to sleep in cars to escape family violence.
"It's not just sleeping rough. It's kids living in cars. It's people with nowhere safe to go," she said.

The Car Park Sleepout invites participants to spend a night in their cars on the airport’s rooftop car park to raise awareness and funds for women, non-binary people, and children experiencing homelessness due to family violence.

All funds raised support Juno Services and McAuley Community Services for Women, which provide lifelines for those with nowhere to turn.

When Harriet learned about the event, she contacted Juno and McAuley to find out how she could help.

She has more than doubled her goal, raising more than any other individual participant – enough money to fund 10 nights of safety for a woman and her children or help 20 families with costs of their groceries or essential items.

"This isn't about charity, it's about dignity, survival and basic human kindness," Harriet said. "We can be the reason someone doesn't have to sleep in their car tonight."

Melbourne Airport CEO Lorie Argus praised Harriet’s initiative.

“We’re thrilled Harriet is joining the Sleepout this year. Seeing young people step out and take action gives us hope for real change," she said.

Juno CEO Tanya Corrie said, “Working alongside Melbourne Airport and McAuley, we’re so proud to see community members, including young people like Harriet, coming together to help women, non-binary people and children who face the impossible choice between violence and homelessness.

“Safe housing is where recovery begins, and events like this show us what’s possible when we show up for one another.”

CEO of McAuley, Jocelyn Bignold OAM, said: "We’re so thrilled to have staff and families of McAuley’s supporting organisations share in this experience and advocate for our work, bringing the issue of homelessness to their organisations and schools. It's a great opportunity to spark conversations across our community.”

For more information or to donate, visit melbourneairport.com.au/sleepout.

About Juno Juno is a support and advocacy organisation working across Melbourne’s North. We provide gender-informed services that empower and support women, trans, gender diverse people and their children experiencing or recovering from the impacts of homelessness and housing stress, family violence and financial insecurity. We also advocate to raise awareness of the unique issues the people we work with face and change the systems and structures which contribute to gendered poverty, homelessness and family violence.

About McAuley McAuley Community Services for Women supports women and children who have faced family violence and homelessness to take control of their lives. Starting with accommodation and meeting immediate needs, we support women and their children to be safe. We provide 24/7 crisis support and temporary accommodation, independent housing and supported community care. McAuley House, Footscray and Ballarat, provide inhouse support to women who are homeless, many of whom have also experienced family violence. It is a place for rest, recovery and reconnection, as well as being a welcoming hub for women and children who have moved into the surrounding community.

Key facts
1. Australian Institute of Health and Welfare (AIHW) 2023 as reported by Homelessness Australia:
- In 2022-23, 23,415 women and 13,294 children who had experienced domestic and family violence were assisted by homelessness services in Victoria.

2.AIHW 2023-24:
- 1 in 80 women in the Australian population received support from Specialist Homelessness Services (SHS) (2023-24)
- Among SHS clients who have experienced family and domestic violence, 9 in 10 were women and children.
- Twenty-seven per cent of all SHS clients were aged under 18.

3. Australian Bureau of Statistics 2023, as reported by AIHW:
- 1 in 4 Australian women have experienced intimate partner violence since age 15

4. Equity Economics 2021:
- An estimated 7,690 women are returning to violent relationships every year due to having no-where affordable to live.
- 9,120 women a year are becoming homeless as a direct result of domestic and family violence.
- Only 3.2% women are currently receiving the long-term housing solutions they need.