Our Achievements

The water tanks in the Cornerstone Community Garden received a facelift with this stunning mural project, led by local artist Leila Ashtiani. A continuation of The Art Corner (a weekly art group held in 2021-2022), the mural project has been a wonderful way to beautify this community space while giving community members the opportunity to learn new skills.

Our graduate Social Worker constructed a wardrobe full of corporate-wear suitable for job interviews or other formal occasions. This fantastic initiative ensures that disadvantaged community members can access the clothing they need, from smart-casual through to corporate attire. Creating pathways out of disadvantage, and removing one of the barriers that hinders people from achieving their goals. With the support of the wonderful team at the Dandenong Christian Reformed Church Op-Shop.

The Art Corner was a regular art group where disadvantaged community members explored creative expression, learnt new skills, and dove into the world of art therapy. With guest artists, regular creative workshops and a still life or two, the Art Corner was a little world of creativity each week at Cornerstone.

The Writing Corner ran interchangeably with art group and was a regular opportunity for community members to explore their creative side with a guided Creative Writing group. The Writing Corner was a little world of creativity each week at Cornerstone.

A centenary project of the Rotary Club of Greater Dandenong, the Cornerstone Community Garden is a bountiful space where community members can grow and harvest vegetables and herbs to use in the community meals. The Cornerstone Gardening Club meets in the community garden weekly on Tuesdays from 10.30am – 12noon, an opportunity for patrons to learn new skills and get involved in different ways.

2022-2023

Supported by the State Government of Victoria, Cornerstone Contact Centre partnered with the Dandenong Presbyterian Church to provide pop-up community markets for Dandenong West locals. Geared towards providing free, culturally appropriate food for people from diverse backgrounds, the markets provided support for many hundreds of disadvantaged local families.

In 2022 we celebrated 30 years of Cornerstone Contact Centre serving the community through support for homeless and disadvantaged locals.
We honoured founder Barbara Siddall and marked the occasion by renaming the Drop-In Centre the “Barb Siddall Drop-In Centre.”

In August of 2022 and 2023, Cornerstone hosted the team from the Monash Health NSP to raise overdose awareness. The dedicated team from Monash Health provided overdose response training for staff, volunteers and community members, showing just how important it is to know these simple steps that could save a life.

Participants of The Art Corner exhibited artworks at the combined Cornerstone and The Open Door Art Exhibition. Showcasing dozens of beautiful artworks from these two local community art groups, the exhibition was a celebration of participants’ achievements.

In 2022 we planted fruit trees that will be a lasting legacy, providing fruit for the community well into the future. This project received funding from the Australian Government’s Planting Trees for The Queen’s Jubilee Program.