Joe Hildebrand dresses up as homeless person to raise awareness for Red Shield Appeal

STUDIO 10 host Joe Hildebrand went undercover as a “filthy” man on the streets of Melbourne to see how people treated him — and he was shocked.

STUDIO 10’S Joe Hildebrand has dressed up as a stereotypical homeless person to put himself in the shoes of one of the 100,000 people who live on the streets in Australia.

To raise awareness of The Salvation Army’s red shield appeal, Hildebrand went undercover as a “filthy” man on the streets of Melbourne to see how people treated him.

And he says he was more than surprised at the reaction he got from strangers.

“It’s strange, it’s actually a really confronting and debilitating experience, I know that sounds strange, but when you put on the clothes and you make yourself look like you don’t belong, you actually feel like you don’t belong.”

Hildebrand went undercover to put himself in a homeless person’s shoes.

“There were times when I felt that people were actually about to walk into me because I was just so transparent, but even without actually approaching people and asking for money, we had incredible cases where a young boy came up and gave me his sandwich and a bottle of water. A busker who was struggling to make a couple of bucks himself, came up and gave me $10, I thought I’d be here all day and there wouldn't be a soul who came forward and I was proven wrong.”

Hildebrand says the generosity of Australians is absolutely vital in helping The Salvos to help over one million people in need.

“The truth is that most homeless people look just like you and me.

Hildebrand said he was overwhelmed when a young boy gave him his sandwich and a bottle of water.

Joe Hildebrand on Studio 10.

“People who live on the streets are in a terrible way and they’re only a tiny minority of the people who are homeless. When we talk about the 100,000 the big rise is women and children fleeing abuse and young people, people under 35 are the most common people who are homeless.

“We were trying to prove that I was invisible and no one would pay attention to me and that was actually completely wrong, really I only had to sit in the same spot for a few minutes before someone would come up and give me a few bucks.”

Hildebrand didn’t ask for money, but was surprised by how much he was given.

Hildebrand said while he wasn’t pretending that he claims to know what it’s like to be homeless now, the experience did have quite an impact on him.

“It was actually really full-on ... even just wearing (the clothes) I felt really ashamed and felt really embarrassed and obviously I had no reason to. And people who are genuinely homeless have no reason to, but it did really, really feel like that.”

To give to the Salvation Army’s Red Shield appeal, click here or call 13 SALVOS (13 72 58).

Joe Hildebrand is raising awareness for the Red Shield Appeal.