Homeless Persons' Week (HPW) is an annual event publicizing the plight of homeless people in Australia. The event is held in the first full week of August each year, and is coordinated by
which?], about 16,000 (15%) were sleeping rough on the streets. The others are those living in other unsuitable housing or in homeless shelters.[2]
Homelessness Week came about from various churches and missions running winter vigils to remember people who had died on the streets. These vigils were normally held in August as it is the coldest time of the year in Australia, when most people were likely to be overcome by the elements. In 2007, Homelessness Australia began coordinating the event as a national awareness week.[1]
In 2013, a bikers club in Western Sydney organised an HPW event which included a ride to distribute blankets for street sleepers.[3]
