Endeavour Foundation
celebrates 10 years in Western Sydney

Endeavour Foundation this week celebrates ten years of providing meaningful employment for people with a disability at Mount Druitt, Seven Hills and Castle Hill in Western Sydney.

Executive General Manager of Service Delivery Kerin McMahon said a group of families approached Endeavour Foundation for help, when Cumberland Industries was in financial distress in September 2009.

“Endeavour Foundation agreed to take over operations to protect the jobs of 500 people with disability employed by Cumberland, and ten years later we are proud to be a part of the local community in Western Sydney,” Ms McMahon said.

Ms McMahon said Endeavour Foundation’s tenth anniversary in Western Sydney was a milestone to be proud of for many employees in NSW, some of whom have been in their jobs for 50 years or more.

“We believe everybody has the right to work in a role that is tailored to their abilities, and to have the satisfaction of completing a good day’s work if they choose to,” Ms McMahon said.

“Cumberland Industries was founded in 1961 and provided support to people with a disability for 48 years before merging with Endeavour Foundation.

“Due to the hard work and commitment of our teams in Mt Druitt, Castle Hill and Seven Hills, we’re still going strong ten years later and I would like to say thank you to them for everything they do.”

Supported employees are employed under the Commonwealth Government’s Australian Disability Enterprise program.

Jobs available in Western Sydney include sewing, specialised pharmaceutical packing, general packing, warehouse duties, forklift driving and more.

Stroke survivor Denise Despindic has been employed at Mount Druitt for two years.

“To be working here, it gives me a bit of social [life] outside of home,” Ms Despindic said, “I come here and connect and talk to people – it’s good!

“This job gives me a purpose every day… and it’s rewarding coming to work.”

Ms McMahon said Endeavour Foundation continued to work with a range of businesses from big-name brands to local start-ups.

“We are grateful for commercial organisations that see the value in working with us. In so doing they help provide meaningful employment for people with disability,” she said.

“We’re always looking for new partnerships and many businesses are surprised at the range of work we can do for them.”

To contact Endeavour Foundation about supported employment or business opportunities, call 1800 112 112 or go to endeavour.com.au.