Open Family Australia

GJK Facility Services has committed to support Open Family Australia for the past decade. Open Family Australia works with young people who are experiencing a range of challenges, such as homelessness, domestic violence, substance abuse, isolation, and unemployment.

Open Family Australia was informally founded in Melbourne in 1978 by Father Bob Maguire and Brother Alex McDonald and was later established as a charitable organisation and an unincorporated association in 1981.

In 2011, Open Family Australia merged with Whitelion, a not-for-profit youth organisation that helps provide opportunities to disadvantaged young people through role modelling, mentoring, employment and indigenous programs, and outreach services, as well as prevention programs run in rural and metropolitan communities.

The enthusiasm with which our team has rallied to give their support to Open Family Australia is heartening. We have been honoured to donate to this charity’s fundraising ball, our staff have donated Christmas gifts, and our company provides pro-bono and reduced-rate cleaning services to Open Family.

We are also thrilled to make use of the Fruit2Work social enterprise (operated via Whitelion in partnership with Open Family). Fruit2Work employs former offenders to deliver fruit, vegetables and milk to workplaces across Melbourne, including GJK Facility Services.