Our Big Kitchen Joins the CEO Sleepout to Fight Homelessness

By Ellie DeMinico and Jessica Kemnitz

19 June 2025 - On one of the coldest nights of the year in Sydney, hundreds of business and community leaders swapped their suits for sleeping bags, braving the chill on cardboard mats outside the White Bay Cruise Terminal. The 20th anniversary of the annual Vinnies CEO Sleepout wasn’t just about discomfort—it was a powerful reminder of the thousands who face that reality every night.

“Participating in my first CEO Sleepout in collaboration with Our Big Kitchen was an incredibly eye-opening and meaningful experience, one that left a lasting impact on both a personal and communal level,” said Events and Program Intern at Our Big Kitchen Lei’aloha Ah Tou.

This year’s event brought together some of the state’s most influential figures to raise funds and awareness for a crisis that continues to grow—especially among women, older Australians, and people living in regional areas, according to the Australian Bureau of Statistics. With housing affordability at record lows and demand for homelessness services on the rise, participants used their platforms not just to fundraise, but to advocate for real solutions.

Amid the sea of sleeping bags, one source of warmth came in the form of a hot meal, generously prepared and served by volunteers from Our Big Kitchen. Based in Bondi, Our Big Kitchen (OBK) is a community-run, industrial-scale kitchen that brings people together to cook meals for those in need. For the CEO Sleepout, OBK provided comforting, home-style food to participants, reinforcing its mission of nourishing not only bodies, but also fostering connection and compassion.

“It’s a wonderful relationship we have with them and we have been participating in the CEO Sleepout for over 10 years,” said Our Big Kitchen’s Operations Manager George Karounis. “They help the community and in turn, we provide them with soup, bread rolls, and anything the participants may need.”

Throughout the night, OBK served hundreds of meals to Sleepout participants. Volunteers dished out three hearty soups—pumpkin, potato and leek, and mushroom—alongside fresh bread rolls and homemade cookies. The generous spread not only nourished attendees braving the cold, but also showcased OBK’s capacity to mobilize community support on a large scale, just as they do year-round for those facing hardship.

“The CEO Sleepout, hosted in partnership with Vinnies and supported by local organizations like OBK, was designed not only to raise funds but to foster empathy and understanding,” said Ah Tou. “Attendees heard from a range of powerful speakers throughout the evening, including the founder of the event, a representative from the New South Wales Government, and most movingly several young individuals who had personally experienced homelessness.” 

Thanks to OBK’s contribution, more than 300 participants were warmly fed during the event—each meal a reminder of the power of community in action. The success of the night was felt far beyond the dinner line, with more than $2.6 million raised to support those experiencing homelessness across New South Wales, making this year’s CEO Sleepout one of the most impactful to date.

“Our Big Kitchen’s mission to provide food and support to individuals in need aligned perfectly with the event’s overarching goals,” said Ah Tou. “OBK has long been a beacon of community support in Sydney, and its involvement in this event further solidified its role as not just a kitchen, but a sanctuary of warmth, humanity, and hope.”