The Australian Foundation for Disability, one of Australia’s first disability
support organisations, prides itself on its quality of care and development for
people with disability.
Its history and proven reputation in this specialised sector has well
prepared AFFORD for the changing structure and needs of disability care into the
future.
The Organisation’s beginnings in 1951 stem from solicitor William McFadden’s
instructions to handle a Bequest to charity left in the Will of one of his
clients.
McFadden and four other businessmen started an after hospital care service
for people affected by the outbreak of the highly infectious Polio epidemic of
that time, which affected the central nervous system causing illness, impaired
breathing, muscle wasting, paralysis and possibly death.
Officially incorporated in 1952 as the Poliomyelitis Society, the
organisation evolved to be the Australian Foundation for Disability -
AFFORD.
A large home in Turramurra on Sydney’s upper north shore was purchased to
become The Cherrywood Orthopaedic General Hospital and the first 15 patients
were admitted in July 1953. Many were ‘heavy nursing cases’ needing 24
hour care including being fed and placed in respirators, given rehabilitation,
physical care and occupational support.
The Society also began free community based welfare activities such as
counselling and the provision of medical aids - all well ahead of accepted
practice at the time.
Shortly after, again with generous private support the property ‘Elamang’ was
purchased on the waterfront at Milsons Point - to allow polio victims from the
country to live in the city while they received orthopaedic treatment.
Branches of the Society were formed in regional and rural areas such as
Bathurst, Wollongong, Wellington, Dubbo and Mudgee. In Sydney, Fellowship Groups
were formed to encourage Polio victims to meet for community activities.
It was an era in Australia that gave rise to a community spirit that united
all in a common need of mateship and support.
With the development of the Salk vaccine, followed by the Sabin immunisation
programs, Polio was eradicated in Australia by 1967.
But the need, spirit and duty of care to all people with intellectual,
physical, psychiatric and sensory disability continued.
In 1967 the Organisation encompassed this mission and changed its name to The
Foundation for Disabled.
The next year the ‘old’ Cherrywood Hospital was moved to Llandilo and became
an accommodation centre for some 50 people with disability.
In the early seventies, some of those residents moved into community suburban
housing – again a project well ahead of its more general acceptance.
AFFORD bought a small electronics company in 1979 to provide practical and
rewarding work opportunities for people with disability. First products
included ‘Computalite’ and ‘Moonglo’ light dimmers.
AFFORD Packaging (as this Business services unit
is now named) continued to expand employment opportunities for people with
disability. Since 2003 more than 600 people with disability are employed
in five modern and DisabilitySafe factory sites - competing on the open market
with a range of products.
AFFORD Packaging also continues to expand its light manufacturing, supplying
garment hangers which are sold through Woolworths, Franklins and IGA.
The Organisation modified its name to the Australian Foundation for
Disability in 2001 and late that year the state-of-the-art Sensory Centre and Gardens at Canley Vale opened to provide
development and training for AFFORD clients – and also people from other
disability organisations.
Day Programs providing Community Participation, Transition to Work and Post
School Options programs are being extended to 15 sites; and Carer Support was
introduced in 2007 to help those involved with the day-to-day responsibilities
involved with supporting people with disability.
As AFFORD approaches its sixth decade of service and leadership in disability
care, its history can be traced to the gesture of one person in their Will all
that time ago.
The Australian Foundation for Disability is now an organisation that provides
support and hope for over 1,100 people with disability today.
Source: Afford
- Australian Foundation for Disability - History
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