Housing and Homelessness Youth Latest News

More than $135k raised in charity yacht race for homeless youth

Menchie Khairuddin May 23, 2024

2 min read

The Property Industry Foundation held its largest annual Brisbane Charity Regatta last week at the Royal Queensland Yacht Squadron in Manly, raising more than $135k for homeless youth.

Over 400 construction and property leaders, Property Industry Foundation members, volunteers, industry guests, and a youth representative attended the Foundation’s tenth annual Regatta, with 43 yachts setting sail.

Property Industry Foundation CEO Kate Mills said the sold-out event raised much-needed funds and awareness for Queensland’s homeless youth, a subset who make up 38% of the state’s homeless population.

“It was wonderful to see so many organisations come together to raise funds and set sail for such a worthy cause,” said Mills.

“There is a critical need for social and affordable housing solutions in Queensland, and we’re grateful to be able to play a small role in alleviating this pressure for homeless youth with the wider industry’s support.”

The winner of this year’s charity race was surveying firm Mitchell Brandtman on the yacht ‘French Kiss’.

After the race, attendees gathered for speeches from event sponsor Built, and Property Industry Foundation representatives. As the sun went down, guests continued the night in a transformed venue for the post-race celebrations.

The sizable $135k sum raised through the Regatta goes directly towards the Foundation’s current and upcoming projects – Haven House Kingaroy and Haven House Logan.

Haven House Logan is being built by the Foundation in partnership with the Lady Musgrave Trust to provide transitional housing for vulnerable young mothers and their children. In Contrast, Haven House Kingaroy is being built in partnership with South Burnett CTC and will provide transitional housing for youth in the South Burnett Region.

Mills reiterated the importance of these initiatives within the context of the escalating cost of living and housing crisis.

“As the cost of living continues to soar and affordable housing declines, youth are finding it harder and harder to secure stable housing,” said Mills.

“Projects like these not only construct physical spaces but also provide essential lifelines that empower disadvantaged youth and break the cycle of hardship.”

The Foundation has raised more than $2 million dollars in Queensland for homeless youth since its inception.

“There’s still a lot to be done, and we look forward to seeing what the next ten years bring,” added Mills.

The Foundation’s current and upcoming projects, Haven House Logan with Lady Musgrave Trust and Haven House Kingaroy with South Burnett CTC, will produce another 13 bedrooms for the state’s at-risk and homeless youth.

Menchie Khairuddin

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Menchie Khairuddin is a writer Deputy Content Manager at Akolade and content producer for Third Sector News. She is passionate about social affairs specifically in mixed, multicultural heritage and not-for-profit organisations.