PENNY Hockings and Dot Holdom are what some may describe as "doers”.

The two Tweed Coast women formed a solid friendship in the wake of the devastating floods in March, after coming together to do what they could to help those who suffered the most in the deluge.

Together they co-ordinated the Coast's response to the flood, raising, storing and distributing the thousands of donated goods, working tirelessly of their own accord to do so.

They saw the life changes forced upon so many - those forced out of their homes and left with nowhere to live. Many remain in limbo, still unable to secure a permanent roof above their heads.

And so it is that Ms Hockings and Ms Holdom decided to get involved in next week's St Vinnie's Sleepout for the homeless: Ms Hockings as a key organiser and Ms Holdom as an ambassador.

Ms Hockings has a more personal reason for getting involved too: coming close to finding herself on the streets some years back when she was fleeing an abusive relationship with her two children.

"We were lucky we didn't end up homeless but it was awfully close,” Ms Hockings said.

"We moved nine times in five years and we actually had to leave the state to be safe. It's been a close call in a lot of situations and that's not a situation I would have thought I'd ever be in.

"I've travelled all around Australia, I've lived overseas, I spent 20 years building a corporate career, I worked really hard and I married the love of my life and didn't think I would ever be in that situation.”

Ms Hockings said it was easy to think of the homeless as those who had given up on life but said it was a very possible reality for many people.

"We tend to stereotype these people but they're all humans and you can't always foresee situations changing that put you in that position,” she said.

"There's so many reasons why people end up homeless. It's not something a lot of people expect to come across in their lifetime but life can sometimes throw you some pretty big challenges.”

As a former Tweed Shire Councillor, Ms Holdom has spent many years working alongside the Tweed homeless community and said it was important others started to support organisations like Fred's Place, the homeless services provider at Tweed Heads for which the Sleepout is raising money for.

Vinnies Community Sleepout is on Thursday, August 3 at Seagulls Club, Tweed West. To register, visit http://2017vcs.gofund raise.com.au/.