DES Team up with OzHarvest

Every fortnight, a bright yellow van delivers crates of quality food to the doors of Afford’s DES (Disability Employment Service) in Bankstown. Our DES consultants have teamed up with OzHarvest to help job seekers with disability support themselves and their families while they work towards their employment goals.

Australia’s leading food rescue organisation, OzHarvest, delivers fresh fruit and vegetables to our DES service in Bankstown to distribute to those in need.

Our consultants work with individuals with physical and intellectual disability, who need a little extra support to find a job that suits their unique abilities.

DES consultants get to know every job seeker who comes through the door. Opportunities for training, skills development and work experience are the focus, but understanding a person’s culture, background and personal challenges reveal the bigger picture of their motivations for coming to Afford.

“Some of our clients have been out of work for some time or are undertaking training to progress their skills. While they are working towards long term employment, they worry about supporting and feeding their family,” said Layla Naji, Team Leader, DES Bankstown.

“This year has presented many challenges for job seekers. Having OzHarvest on board to provide an extra boost for those who need it makes a profound difference in the lives of our clients.”

During one of the first OzHarvest deliveries, The Hon. Jason Clare, Federal Member for Blaxland visited the Bankstown service to help unload food hampers to deliver to clients.

“We are so grateful to Mr Clare for continuing to support the Bankstown community. His help to hand out the food hampers and support of our clients is greatly appreciated,” said Layla.

With a mission to ‘nourish our country’, OzHarvest collects quality excess food from commercial outlets and delivers it directly to more than 1,500 charities supporting people in need across the country.

“We are so fortunate to have the support of like-minded not-for-profits such as OzHarvest. With their support, we can ensure that our clients receive whole-of-life support and can concentrate on achieving their work goals,” said Layla.

Find out more about how Afford DES can support you achieve your employment goals and learn more about the valuable work of OzHarvest.