In 1958, the Reverend Ralph Sutton, a young and energetic leader from the Western Australian Wesley Mission, now part of UnitingCare was approached by Bernice Moorhouse, a young woman with a hearing impairment who wanted to find meaningful employment. Her request struck a chord with Reverend Sutton, and he asked members of his parish to donate items of clothing, which were sorted, laundered and mended by Bernice in a small room at the rear of Wesley Mission, and then sold at a small price.

This was the beginning of Good Samaritan Industries, an iconic West Australian charity that offers a wide choice of employment and training opportunities to people with disabilities in Western Australia, and has helped approximately 5000 people to find meaningful employment since 1958.

Good Samaritan Industries exists to create employment for people with disabilities, currently employing 250 people with disabilities, supporting jobs for another 200 people with disabilities in private and government employment and is working with another 300+ to get them job ready.

Its most visible social enterprise is the Good Sammy Shops, there are 24 that generate $12m of income from recycled clothing and goods, which is a fantastic effort in this modern world of waste!

"When a dream meets a need, nothing can stop its realisation. Good Samaritan Industries is the realisation of a dream that has been so rapidly and splendidly fulfilled because as soon as it had begun it 'rang a bell' in the hearts of thousands", said Reverend Ralph Sutton at the time his creation began growing in leaps and bounds..

Today, the “bell is ringing” online, Good Sammy has over 1,000 Facebook fans and just opening is a new business venture – Good Sammy’s 25th shop known as Shop 25.

Shop 25 has created five jobs for people with disabilities, to sort, present, photograph, upload stock … it has been fantastic to watch their skill levels improve, their confidence grow and their attitude to work blossom. This is a great human interest story and also a great way to shop!

Find out more about Good Sammy at our website.