The first stage of the process will result in 10 more jobs for people with a disability.

Flagstaff chief executive Roy Rogers said Flagstaff was  the only Illawarra applicant to receive a grant in the first round of the Department of Regional and Infrastructure’s National Stronger Regions Fund. The funding targets projects that create jobs and infrastructure.

Mr Rogers said the $850,000 Flagstaff received was dollar-for-dollar funding to be  spent on a new building between the present laundry and administration facility and the print and mail building in  Unanderra.

The new Flagstaff Laundry Services building is expected to be occupied within three years.

Half of the initial funding will go to preparing the site and laying the foundation.

‘‘Our laundry has been growing over the last five years and we are just about at capacity,’’ Mr Rogers said. With the aged care industry building new facilities and expanding others in the region, Flagstaff identified the need to expand laundry services some time ago.  But getting the finances to do it has been an obstacle.

‘‘We are already at near capacity,’’ Mr Rogers said.

‘‘We have identified at least 10 new positions for people with disabilities. 

‘‘This is significant for us and people in our community with disabilities. We have about 35 people working in the laundry now.’’   The project is basically shovel ready.

 The full project is worth $4.2million but the $1.7million first stage will  expand the laundry to meet growing demand.

‘‘We are looking at running Certificate II in laundry operations,’’ Mr Rogers said.

‘‘One of the other things I am keen on doing ... is blending all the skills in our food preparation area, cafe and laundry together for an entry level position into aged care.  ‘‘If we can pick up all those skills and give people work experience in that area we will then try and move some of those people into entry level positions in the aged care area.’’

Others involved in helping Flagstaff secure the funding were Mark Sewell, of Warrigal, who helped provide the aged care focus, and Natalie Burroughs, of RDA Illawarra, Mark Grimson, of Wollongong City Council, and federal MP Stephen Jones and NSW MP Gareth Ward.

‘‘Flagstaff has wanted to grow and we have had this on our agenda,’’ Mr Rogers said. ‘‘But to pour between $600,000 to $800,000 into the ground to get it started has been a real hurdle for us.  

‘‘This will fund the site works and it will create a usable site so we can start putting buildings on it. 

‘‘This is the largest single grant for capital improvement. We have always funded everything ourselves. 

‘‘It is really significant for us as a group. It gives us the opportunity to invest in building that will allow us to create more jobs,’’ Mr Rogers said.