Mary’s New Chapter: Thriving in Her Supported Independent Living Home
23 December 2024
Mary has recently embarked on an exciting new chapter in her life by moving into a Supported Independent Living (SIL) home with OC Connections. Her
Our Supporters
OC Connections extends a warm and heartfelt thanks to all of our supporters who donate funds, time and gifts-in-kind. Through their generosity, we are able to provide world-class support and opportunities for people living with a disability.
On this page:
The Gandel Foundation
Gandel Foundation is one of Australia’s largest independent family philanthropic funds. It has been the vehicle for charitable giving by the extended Gandel family since its formation as The Gandel Charitable Foundation in 1978.
Thanks to the generosity of Gandel Foundation, OC Connections will be able to grow and broaden our Social Enterprise to support more employment opportunities for people living with a disability.
In 2015 OC Connections launched a mobile, ‘waterless’, biodegradable car wash service in partnership with our participants. Major strides have been made since the beginning of 2017 and in particular since the generous grant from Gandel Foundation in March 2019, which has led to improved chemicals, new process documents and more rounded experience for employees and customers.
OC Connections has been able to scale up this social enterprise through negotiations with a number of new potential customers as well as looking to expand existing contracts. With the capital funds made available through the Grant, we have been able to fund the expansion of the car wash teams, so the business can grow.
The Metropolitan Golf Club
Thank you to The Metropolitan Golf Club who has been a long-standing supporter of OC Connections.
The Metropolitan Golf Club has proudly supported OC Connections for over 20 years, through its fundraising efforts of members and in the provision of the prestigious golf course for the OC Connections Charity Golf Day held in June each year for around 200 golfers.
“The Metropolitan Golf Club has supported OC Connections for many, many years and the relationship strengthens every year. We are delighted that some members have visited OC Connections sites to see first-hand the work that we undertake with people living with an intellectual disability.
We are grateful for the generosity year on year and for the vision and action undertaken by members of the Club to support. We could not do the work we do without the generosity and kindness of everyone at The Metropolitan Golf Club.” OC Connections CEO, Therese Desmond
“Supporting OC Connections has provided the Club with an opportunity to assist a smaller community group and have a larger impact on them achieving their goals. The Club has enjoyed watching the transition and enhancement of the organisation in recent years and takes great pride in knowing it has contributed towards that positive evolution.” Metropolitan Golf Club General Manager, Peter Paccagnan
The Jack Brockhoff Foundation
Thank you to the Jack Brockhoff Foundation whose support has enabled us to expand our Social Enterprise with more trained employees, new equipment, uniforms and vehicle maintenance.
With the help of the Jack Brockhoff Foundation we will be able to successfully scaleup our social enterprise and to continue to grow our client base enabling more people living with a disability to gain and sustain meaningful employment.
The grant has been used to:
- – Hire and train additional individuals living with a disability for our new teams
- – Purchase cleaning equipment and uniforms
- – Pay the running costs and insurance of a vehicle to transport the mobile car wash teams to the various work sites across Melbourne.
Collier Charitable Fund
With the support of the Collier Charitable Trust, we have been able to expand our Social Enterprise business model, training a new team to service our growing contract base, and assist with the purchase of a vehicle to transport the team to work sites.
The new vehicle is currently used to transport the OCC Enterprises mobile car wash team far and wide; from the City of Kingston to DHHS to Vic Roads and beyond. The vehicle not only acts as transport but provides opportunities for people living with a disability to actively integrate into the community while engaging in sustainable, valued and meaningful employment.
OC Connections wishes to thank the Colliers Charitable Trust for their generous donation to help support our social enterprise and enable people to enjoy the benefits of employment including, independence, a sense of belonging and self-worth.
State Trustees
The Grassroots Grants program provided by State Trustees, supports individuals disadvantaged by ageing, disability and mental health with projects that address social inclusion, social participation and carer support.
With the support of the State Trustees, OC Connections has been able to expand its social enterprise to provide individuals with employment opportunities in the community that have enabled them to gain new skills, a sense of independence and pride as well as financial gain.
Thanks to the generosity of the State Trustees, OC Connections was able to expand our business to service our growing contract base by providing the opportunity to upskill employees and contribute to the purchase of equipment and a new vehicle.
The State Trustees Grant enabled OC Connection to train and promote a Team Leader who gained new skills and experience by on boarding and training our new car wash team. Opportunities like this continue to provide real career progression within the social enterprise.
Dandenong Christmas Tree Farm
The Dandenong Christmas Tree Farm is a long-term supporter of OC Connections, helping us hold our annual Christmas Tree Fundraiser. During the pandemic when this fundraiser was unable to run, they stepped up to show their support by making a very generous donation towards our Achieve Fund.
The Christmas Tree fundraiser was initially started by a family member of the Oakleigh Centre over 50 years ago. When Neil and Neale took over the farm, they wanted to continue to support the work that OCC undertakes and have done so by providing low-cost trees for us to sell to the community.
In addition to the farm’s generous donation, they encouraged neighbouring farm, Fresh Christmas Trees, to also donate.
The CEO Institute
The CEO Institute is a member network for CEOs, managing directors and business owners. It provides members with their own professional advisory board and facilitates connections through monthly meetings and networking events with the aim of creating effective leaders who thrive in today’s dynamic business environment.
OC Connections’ CEO, Therese Desmond, is a member of The CEO Institute and values the supportive environment that this membership provides.
The CEO Institute has been a long term supporter of OC Connections, which has facilitated the ability to share skills, insight, and experience with other members – a valuable resource, especially during the challenging times faced by the pandemic.
Woodards Foundation
The Woodards Charitable Foundation has a clear commitment to support programs that assist the homeless, in particular families, to find a safe place to live. Working in collaborative, creative and innovative ways, the Foundation thinks, involves and connects with the community to reach their objectives.
Money is raised via donations based on a flat fee per leased and sold property transaction and various other fundraising activities and individual donations. Working in collaborative, creative and innovative ways, they use their time and money to think, involve and connect with the community.
Bunnings
Bunnings Chadstone have worked with our Facilities Manager, Alex Kuzmicky, to organise the donation of items such as seedlings and craft supplies to assist with keeping our participants and residents engaged during the pandemic.
With restrictions for onsite support and residents having to stay at home during lockdowns, it has been important for them to have activities to undertake at home. They have been busy growing vegetable gardens and creating artworks during this time.
City of Monash
Monash Council has been supportive of OC Connections and the provision of support services to people living with disability at various community hubs within the South East Melbourne.
In particular, Monash City Council have generously donated the use of council halls to hold the OC Connections disco for people living with disability within the City of Monash. These discos are organised by OC Connections but are open to all NDIS participants. While we have been unable to hold these events during the pandemic, we look forward to holding them in the near future.
CoTé Software & Solutions
CoTé Software & Solutions has been a sponsor of the OC Connections Annual Charity Golf Day. They have generously donated the first prize in our raffle, which is a corporate suite at Marvel Stadium. We thank CoTé for their support.
Chadstone Toyota
A long-term supporter of the OC Connections Charity Golf Day, Chadstone Toyota have sponsored the hole-in-one competition, which has been a great fundraising success. We thank Chadstone Toyota for their ongoing support.
Eziway Salary Packaging
Eziway is our salary packaging provider of choice. They are also a long-time supporter of our OC Connections Charity Golf Day, sponsoring a hole each year, which assists us in raising money for activities, supports and programs for people with disability.
Interconnect Healthcare
Interconnect Healthcare has become a very important partner and supporter of OC Connections throughout the pandemic. The medical practice have worked on site to assist in vaccinating staff against COVID, which assisted us to meet mandated vaccination requirements of all disability workers.
They are also an ongoing sponsor of our Annual Charity Golf Day.
Australian IT Group
Australian IT Group has been a regular sponsored of our Annual Charity Golf Day and we thank them for their support.
Perpetual
Perpetual has been a regular sponsored of our Annual Charity Golf Day and we thank them for their support.
Woodards Oakleigh
Woodards Oakleigh has been a regular sponsored of our Annual Charity Golf Day and we thank them for their support.
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