For the second year, the Surf @ Home Campaign will raise money for rough sleepers in our area. The committee is asking residents to sleep on their couch for one night between August 1 and 7 during Homelessness Week.

Committee member Lisa Willows said this year they are hoping more people will get on board with the campaign.

"Last year we asked people to sleep on their couch for the whole week, but this year we're hoping more people will get involved and do it for one night," she said.

"The idea behind it is for people to experience what it's like to couch surf. There is a high percentage of people who are homeless who do this just to have a roof over their heads.

"Being in someone's space like that can be difficult and we're hoping to promote empathy and awareness for those who are sleeping rough in the community."

The perfect storm of a worldwide pandemic, growth in population and an exodus of city dwellers to regional areas has resulted in a rise of people becoming homeless in the Port Macquarie-Hastings region.

"We have seen people moving here from Sydney who have realised they can work from home. They are on city wages and they price each other out of properties which drives up the price for locals," Ms Willows said.

"There has also been a domestic travel boom where we have seen long-term rentals that are being turned into Airbnbs.

"Many hotels also provide crisis accommodation for the homeless, but we have also seen many of these being booked and used for tourism which takes away that much-needed short-term accommodation for rough sleepers."

Last year the committee raised $5000 from their Surf @ Home Campaign and are hoping to put this year's funds towards providing lockers in Port Macquarie for rough sleepers.

Port Macquarie Hastings Homelessness Awareness Committee ambassador Jason Bodger said the committee is currently working on finding a suitable place for the lockers.

"It's a big project and we would need somewhere for the lockers to go that will be easy for people to access," he said.

The lockers will provide a secure space for rough sleepers to hold their important documents and keepsakes.

The long-term goal of the committee is to create a drop-in centre in Port Macquarie that will provide a place where people without a home can come and take a shower, wash some clothes, or sit in the lounge room and watch the midday movie and get access to services.

Committee member Tracey Rogerson and Mr Bodger are planning to sleep rough during Homelessness Week if the committee raises $5000.

"The pandemic has made it easier for people to find themselves out of work and with debts accumulating, they find themselves at risk of becoming homeless," Mr Bodger said.

"For me, it's about bringing awareness to the issue in our community," Ms Rogerson added.

The committee has launched a GoFundMe page for the Surf @ Home Campaign, or locals can alternatively drop off cash donations at New Horizons.

The committee is also currently collecting donated gift cards that will be handed out to those in need during Homelessness Week.

"The gift cards are a great way for people who are homeless to purchase something that they need," Ms Rogerson said.

"Even if it's just $10 gift cards, that can really make a difference."

The gift cards can be donated to the following locations:

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