Sleep in Your Car is a fundraiser you can join wherever you live: spend one night in your own car, ask the people around you to sponsor you for it, and send what you raise to House of Sadaqa, a Sydney charity helping families who sleep in cars because they have no other option. You do not need to travel anywhere, you do not need special gear, and a modest goal like $100 is a genuine, worthwhile contribution. Register now on the Sleep in Your Car campaign page.
Why this is worth doing
It is one of the simplest fundraisers there is. You already own the thing you need. You do not have to run a marathon, shave your head, or organise an event. You pick a night, you sleep somewhere safe in your own car, and you ask people you already know to back you. For most people who take part, the hardest part is the cold at 4am, not the fundraising.
It also raises money for something specific and real. Every dollar goes to House of Sadaqa’s Family Support Program, which helps Sydney families in crisis with food, furniture, whitegoods, counselling and transport, the same program the charity has run since 2010.
How it works
- Go to the Sleep in Your Car campaign page and register.
- Set a goal. $100 is a realistic, honest starting point for a first-timer.
- Personalise your page with a short line about why you are doing it.
- Share it with friends, family, colleagues or your community group.
- On the night you choose, sleep in your own car somewhere you already know is safe, like your own driveway or garage.
- Post a photo the next morning. It is the single most effective thing you can do for your own fundraising total.
You do not need to be in Sydney
The organised night is Friday 16 October 2026, and House of Sadaqa is based in Sydney, but Sleep in Your Car runs as an online, peer-to-peer fundraiser. That means the mechanics work the same wherever you are: you sleep in your own car, wherever home is, and you share your own fundraising page with the people around you. If you are outside Sydney and want to take part in the spirit of the campaign, go to the Sleep in Your Car campaign page and pick a night that works for you. We have not independently verified whether the sign-up platform accepts every country’s payment details, so if you run into a technical limit at checkout, get in touch with House of Sadaqa directly.
Is $100 a good goal?
Yes, honestly. The first Sleep in Your Car, in 2025, raised an average of about $570 per fundraiser, but that average includes people who had been building their page and network for weeks. A $100 goal is a genuine, achievable target for a first attempt, especially if this is a spontaneous decision rather than a months-long campaign. Set $100, hit it, and raise it if momentum builds. Every dollar still goes to the same program, whether your total is $100 or $1,000.
Staying safe
Sleep somewhere you already know is secure, ideally your own driveway or garage. Do not run the engine while sleeping. Keep your phone charged and within reach, dress warmly, and let someone know your plan for the night. Only take part in a way that feels safe and comfortable for you.
One honest caveat
Sleeping in your own car for one night, with your front door a short walk away, is not the same as being homeless. House of Sadaqa does not claim otherwise. What it does is make the idea concrete enough that you cannot un-think it, and give you a reason to ask people for money that they will actually respond to. The discomfort is a fundraising device. The families it funds are the real subject.
Frequently asked questions
Do I have to be in Sydney to take part in Sleep in Your Car?
No. Sleep in Your Car is an online, peer-to-peer fundraiser. You sleep in your own car wherever you live and share your own fundraising page. The organised event night is Friday 16 October 2026, based in Sydney, but the fundraising mechanics work from anywhere.
Is $100 a reasonable fundraising goal?
Yes. It is a genuine, achievable target, particularly for a first-time or spontaneous fundraiser. The average raised by fundraisers in the campaign’s first year was around $570, but that reflects fundraisers who had weeks to build their page and network.
Is Sleep in Your Car worth doing?
If you want a simple, low-cost way to raise money for a real cause, yes. It needs no equipment beyond your own car, no travel and no special skill, and every dollar goes to House of Sadaqa’s Family Support Program, which helps Sydney families in crisis with food, furniture, whitegoods, counselling and transport.
How do I sign up?
Go to the Sleep in Your Car campaign page and register. You can take part alone, as a family, or as a team.
What if I cannot sleep in a car?
You can still register, fundraise and donate on the campaign page. Plenty of supporters raise money without sleeping out, and the funds count exactly the same.
Ready to take part?
Everything you need, including registration, sponsoring a friend, or donating directly, is on one page: the Sleep in Your Car campaign page. That is where to sign up, set your goal, and start sharing.