23/08/2026
Sleeping In Our Cars To Support Those Without A Home
What would it feel like if your car was your only option for somewhere to sleep?
This month, Oakwood Finance supported Mission Australia’s Sleep In Your Car initiative — with Matt and Hannah joining from Adelaide, and myself taking part from the Gold Coast.
For one night, we swapped our beds for the back seat and experienced a small glimpse of what many Australians face every night.
It’s important to acknowledge that one night in a car can never truly replicate the experience of homelessness. But it can create perspective.
In Australia, more than 122,000 people were experiencing homelessness on any given night according to the 2021 Census. Mission Australia says that today, more than 3,200 people seek help from homelessness services every hour, while more than 56,000 people who needed crisis or longer-term accommodation were unable to receive it due to a shortage of available housing. (Mission Australia)
And homelessness isn’t always visible.
It can be someone sleeping in their car.
It can be couch surfing.
It can be a family living in overcrowded housing.
It can be someone who has experienced a job loss, rising rent, relationship breakdown or financial shock and simply has nowhere else to go.
As a finance company, we spend every day helping people improve their financial position, purchase homes, manage debt and work towards a more secure financial future.
But we also recognise that not every problem can be solved with finance.
Sometimes, supporting people means looking beyond what we do every day and finding other ways to help.
That’s why Oakwood Finance was proud to support Mission Australia.
We slept in our cars for one night to stand alongside people who don’t have the choice to simply go home the next morning.
One night for us. A reality for others.
We hope our small contribution helps raise awareness, funds and support for people who are doing it tough and, ultimately, helps more Australians have somewhere safe to call home.
