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Our social impact hackathon, #Hack4Homelessness is this weekend 15-17 September 2017. In the lead up Rob Holt from The Wayside Chapel was kind enough to share his personal journey through homelessness with us in the video interview above. Rob details his struggles with loneliness, isolation, and separation from community and loved ones.

The Wayside Chapel has community service centres in both Kings Cross and Bondi. Each year, thousands of people visit Wayside for assistance in gaining equitable access to essential health, welfare and related services. They create a healing community by breaking down the barriers of judgment and providing a safe place where people from all walks of life are welcome. People marginalised by homelessness, mental health issues and substance abuse can turn to Wayside for compassion, tolerance and support.

Rob’s motivation for getting involved with #hack4homelessness is to support his “brothers and sisters by drawing the community into the fold”.

He believes “recognizing the human being – not the alcoholic or the drug addict – and saying hi is more powerful than putting money in a person’s hand” and wants organisations to allow their employees time off to volunteer with their families.

Rob thinks if kids – our future voters and leaders – get involved volunteering with their parents from a young age and can see and share in the issues being experienced by homeless people that those who are suffering now might have a better chance in future society.

You can read more about Rob’s story here.

Vibewire’s #Hack4Homelessness brings Australia’s leading technology, engineering and social impact students, social entrepreneurs and startups together to tackle the challenge of homelessness. Running from 15-17 September 2017, you can register as a participant here.