Photo & Story opportunity: Launch of 2026 Vinnies CEO Sleepout at Adelaide Zoo
Event: Media opportunity at Adelaide Zoo
Theme: “Shining a light on Homelessness”
Date: Tuesday 24 March 2026
Time: 9:30 AM-10:30 AM
Location: Adelaide Zoo, Giant Panda Habitat. Please park on Plane Tree Drive and meet at Gate 3 at 9:15am.
RSVP and media launch contact: Vinnies SA Communications Manager, Grant Smyth, on 0419 940 721.
Background:
Vinnies SA and 2026 event host, Zoos SA, are hosting a media call at Adelaide Zoo’s Giant Panda habitat to bring key leaders and local media together for a visually engaging and impactful photo opportunity to launch the 2026 Vinnies CEO Sleepout. This media opportunity aims to raise awareness about homelessness in South Australia, encourage leaders to participate in the Vinnies CEO Sleepout on Thursday 18 June 2026, and broadly promote Vinnies largest annual fundraiser for their homelessness services.
The fundraising target for 2026 in SA is $800,000.
Vinnies SA CEO, Zoos SA CEO and senior leaders, along with CEO Sleepout Ambassadors will be in attendance.
The Vinnies CEO Sleepout is Australia's leading event for business and community leaders to support people experiencing, or at risk of experiencing homelessness. Held on one of the longest and coldest nights of the year, leaders sleep outdoors to show their support for individuals experiencing or at risk of homelessness.
There will be an opportunity to take pictures of CEOs and business leaders at the zoo for a symbolic sleepover, positioned near the panda habitat for striking visuals, and to ask questions.
Each CEO Sleepout participant commits to raising funds which are directed to critical Vinnies services that support people facing homelessness, such as their Crisis Centres, Fred’s Van meal services and other preventative services and support functions.
Adelaide Zoo is supporting this cause by lending its unique venue and having key members of their leadership team participate in the sleepout.
Attending:
- Adelaide Zoo representatives: Dr Phil Ainsley (CEO); Brendan Kilpatrick (Director, Community Engagement)
- Vinnies CEO Sleepout Ambassadors and participants: Amelia Veale, Fiona Endacott, Vikki Friscic, Andrew Sullivan, Paul Kitching
- Vinnies SA representatives: Clinton Jury (CEO)
About Adelaide Zoo:
Adelaide Zoo, one of Adelaide’s most iconic attractions, is home to more than 2,500 animals and 250 species of exotic and native mammals, birds, reptiles and fish exhibited over eight hectares of magnificent botanic surroundings. It is the second oldest zoo in the nation and represents a significant part of South Australia’s heritage and social history. Since Adelaide Zoo first opened to the public in 1883, generations of South Australians have shared in the wonder of a visit to the zoo.
Adelaide Zoo is the only major metropolitan zoo in Australia to be owned and operated by a conservation charity, Zoos SA.
Media inquiries
Name: Grant Smyth, Communications Manager, Vinnies SA
Mobile: 0419 940 721
Email: [email protected] or [email protected]
About us:
The St Vincent de Paul Society has been an integral part of the South Australian community for more than 140 years, since 1884. Providing assistance throughout metropolitan and regional SA, Vinnies is committed to assisting people experiencing disadvantage with a hand up through a focus on food, clothing, shelter and capacity building.
Services include:
· Vinnies Assistance Visit program which supports more than 55,000 South Australians each year with food, clothing, furniture and emergency financial assistance.
· Vinnies Men’s Crisis Centre, accommodating almost 300 men each year
· Vinnies Women’s Crisis Centre, accommodating almost 700 women and children and more than 100 pets each year
· Vinnies Refugee & Asylum Seeker Service
· Fred’s Van meal service – serving 40,000 meals across 10 locations in SA
Along with practical support, Vinnies offers a compassionate, non-judgmental approach to supporting people in need, and we advocate on behalf of those who do not have a voice on issues such as the need for more affordable housing; the inadequacy of social security payments; refugee and asylum seeker policy and more.
Contact details:
Grant Smyth, Communications Manager, Vinnies SA: 0419 940 721 or [email protected]
