2020 Vinnies sleep out goes online due to COVID-19 restrictions, shining light on Riverina's hidden homeless

Typically a busier time of year for St Vincent de Paul's Edel Quinn and Micah Hub services, since the COVID-19 restrictions caseworkers say they have seen a drop in numbers.

"It's been very quiet," said Nathalie Prentice, manager of homelessness and housing services at Wagga's St Vincent de Paul branch.

"There has not been the usual increase in people needing assistance, and that might be because people are taking note of social distancing [orders] and just not coming in."

Ms Prentice said it was a concern that those in need of care may not be receiving it.

But while the walk-ins remain low, the city's crisis housing options remain over-extended.

St Vincent de Paul's operates 16 temporary accommodation rooms around Wagga, which Ms Prentice said are completely full at most times.

"If we had more rooms, we'd always be filling them too," Ms Prentice said.

"People aren't moving out with COVID-19 so there are more people who are able to stay in rental accommodation at the moment.

"I think the government is really helping now because they know a lot of people are struggling, it means that when the need arises again, we can be ready."

The drop also comes after the nation registers plummeting employment rates as a result of the virus.

Up to 700,000 Australians came off payrolls in March, with expectations the unemployment rate will eventually hit 10 per cent.

"Even with JobSeeker and JobKeeper payments, we're talking about seeing a housing crisis with people being under enormous stress," said St Vincent de Paul's CEO Jack de Groot.

"When there's a doubling or more of unemployment [statistics], we'll see more homelessness.

"What does that mean for people in Wagga? We know that in these times of struggles, people move out of the cities which they can't afford and go to the end of the transport hubs where there is still no work."

Every year, the statewide St Vincent de Paul's services make a grand effort to fundraise for its social housing initiatives with the CEO Sleep-out.

Unfortunately, due to the virus concerns and restrictions on gatherings, the fundraiser has had to be altered.

Instead of congregating for a night on the street, participants will be encouraged to seek out an uncomfortable night on a couch, in a backyard tent, or in a car.

Mr de Groot said the new 'virtual' sleep-out may even shine a greater spotlight on the shocking realities of homelessness.

"The reality is for most people who are homeless that before they end up on the street, they exhaust every other option for sleeping rough that they might have," Mr de Groot said.

"They might stay on a friend's couch before they eventually feel they have outstayed their welcome and they don't want to impose on the friendship.

"They might sleep in a car, so that becomes their own home. It's their bedroom, dining room, living room, everything.

"So this year we're asking people to give that a go."

With the sleep-out targetting high-income business influencers and CEOs, Mr de Groot addressed the reality that for many, the experience of sleeping in a car, for example, might be more comfortable than for those stuck in homelessness.

"You might say that a CEO drives a nice, comfortable car, but we're asking that if they can swap it for a cramped, uncomfortable, older car they may have, then they should," Mr de Groot said.

"All the realities will still be there, you'll still get the headlights from the passing cars, the trucks coming past that wake you, and being parked on the side of the road doesn't feel secure. You're always just a bit awake."

Now in its 15th year, the sleep-out will take place on June 18, and will be live-streamed to each of the participating locations.

"We know that 116,000 Australians are sleeping rough [every night] and most aren't stereotypical on a park bench sleepers we think of. There are probably a few thousand sleeping like that," Mr de Groot said.