Acorn Lawyers is going above and beyond out in the cold for this 2019 Vinnies CEO Sleepout event in Wollongong on June 20.
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The Acorn team not only have a $45,000 fundraising goal to support the St Vincent de Paul Society target of $200,000 to help the homeless.
The business is also setting a new standard for team participation with nine of its staff throwing their beanies in the ring to sleep out together for the cause on one of the coldest and longest nights of the year.
Senior associate and general manager Simone Goodwin slept out for the cause in 2018. When her team found she was doing it again they decided to come and join her.
"We have had one of our senior staff members do it every year and when I did it last year I thought it would be a good opportunity for everyone to do it as a team," she said.
"I offered it up to the team and had eight of them agree to do it with me. I think it is a good idea because we can all share the experience in the cold. It will be a good team bonding exercise as well as we try to raise $45,000".
Community Relations officer Kane Baker said Acorn Lawyers has supported the Vinnies CEO Sleepout for the last five years. But this is the first time partners and staff have joined forces and participate together.
"We've been told it is one of the biggest teams they have seen in Wollongong," he said.
"It is going to be exciting and it is going to be cold. We are doing as much as we can to raise money. We have been reaching out to all our contacts around town as well as friends and family. My family have been promoting it to all their friends as well".
Acorn Lawyers will also be doing some community based events in the lead up to the CEO Sleepout on June 20.
Ms Goodwin said the law firm took part every year because it recognises homelessness as one of the most prevalent issues.
"Even in today's paper there was a story about how increasing rents are making it so even more people are ending up homeless," she said.
"We as a team are just trying to raise awareness of the issues and help them in whatever way we can.
"We help out in the community a lot. We have teams sponsorships and those kind of things. And this is one of our other ways we can help the community".
Acorn Lawyers initial involvement with the annual sleepout was helping to organise a fundraising dinner prior to the event earlier this decade.
A Saint Vincent de Paul spokesperson said the latest Illawarra registration for the eighth annual CEO Sleepout in Wollongong this month is Member for Gilmore Fiona Phillips MP.
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