Cash doors open for Gateway

AL-KO International managing director Sven Mannfolk presents a cheque for $920 to Gateway Industries CEO Alan Warwick.

GATEWAY Industries is almost $11,000 better off, thanks to community support.
AL-KO International in Dandenong South donated $920 to the Dandenong not-for-profit organisation to mark International Day of People with Disability.
Gateway employs people with disabilities to maintain gardens, clean bins and street furniture, package air filters and timing belts, label water bottles and more.
Employees at Australia Post’s letter centre in Dandenong South held sausage sizzles, raffles and cake days for Gateway, spurred on by their company’s pledge to match their fund-raising efforts.
Communications co-ordinator Donna Slivarich said the workers were aiming for $5000 – a lofty target for a three-month campaign.
Ms Slivarich said one worker baked 600 cupcakes for the cause, and another spent time on her holidays drumming up support from businesses.
Their hard work paid off to the tune of $9800.
Ms Slivarich said Gateway Industries was “just down the road from us” and the 750 letter centre workers regularly saw the Gateway employees walking to work.
“They don’t get much funding,” she said.