May 22, 2025
On Tuesday 13 May 2025, WM Waste Management proudly attended the official presentation of a Variety Sunshine Coach at Endeavour Hills Specialist School, made possible through our $65,000 donation at the 2024 Variety Toyota AFL Grand Final Lunch.
This coach will play a vital role in the day-to-day lives of students at the school, helping provide reliable and accessible transport for educational excursions, therapy appointments, and community engagement opportunities.
“It’s amazing to see specifically how we can give back to the community,” said Matt Jeffs, General Manager of WM Waste. “It’s one thing to say we support local communities, but actually seeing how this donation is going to positively affect children with disabilities, that’s incredibly rewarding.”
Located in Melbourne’s south-east, Endeavour Hills Specialist School provides tailored education for students aged 5 to 18 with intellectual and developmental disabilities. The school is one of only a handful in the local area specifically equipped to support children on the autism spectrum, making it an essential resource for families across a wide geographic area.
Some students and parents travel more than an hour each way to attend the school. With a rapidly growing student base, the school is continually expanding its facilities and resources to meet increasing demand. Practical support, like the new Variety Sunshine Coach, makes a real difference by ensuring students can safely access therapy appointments, community programs, and off-site learning experiences that enrich their education and wellbeing.
“Endeavour Hills Specialist School is an incredible facility,” said Matt. “The staff were amazing, and it was clear, even from a short visit, that the students have access to the right environment, tools and support. I was especially impressed by the way the school helps students build real-world skills, like learning how to make coffee and work in a cafe environment, so they’re ready for life after school.”
Our contribution to the 2024 Variety Toyota AFL Grand Final Lunch was part of WM Waste’s ongoing support for Variety, the Children’s Charity Victoria, an organisation committed to helping children who are sick, disadvantaged or living with a disability.
Through initiatives like the Sunshine Coach Program, Variety helps schools and community groups improve access and inclusion for young people across Victoria.
“This is the fourth Sunshine Coach we’ve helped fund, and it’s part of a relationship with Variety that’s been going for over ten years,” said Matt. “We’ve supported the last two Grand Final Lunches and other programs, and it’s always been about helping kids who need extra support to thrive.”
At WM Waste, we believe that supporting our local communities means more than just providing waste management services. It means giving back in ways that have a lasting impact. Seeing the coach delivered and knowing it will directly benefit students and families in our community was a proud and rewarding moment.
“After 40 years in business, giving back to the communities that have supported us is a core value at WM Waste,” Matt said. “That includes giving back in a way that really makes a difference, like helping children with disabilities access education and experiences through programs like this.”
This donation is part of our broader mission to support practical, grassroots initiatives that help people thrive, especially young people who need a bit of extra support to reach their full potential.
You can read more about our original donation and partnership with Variety in our previous post:
👉 WM Waste sponsors 2024 Variety Toyota AFL Grand Final Lunch
To learn more about how you or your organisation can support Variety and make a difference for children in need, visit the Variety Victoria website:
👉 https://www.variety.org.au/vic/
WM Waste Management provides sustainable waste management solutions to homes and businesses across Victoria. We’re not just focused on keeping our communities clean and green, but also on giving back through initiatives that have a positive, long-lasting impact.
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