Celebrating 10 years of The APCO Foundation

The APCO Foundation will celebrate 10 years of spreading kindness throughout APCO communities in 2023.

Over the APCO Foundation’s 10-year journey the APCO Foundation has proudly donated over $1,400,000 to individuals, families, projects, and local community charities helping thousands of people in need. The key areas where the APCO Foundation focuses its giving are in the areas of health, education, poverty, and disaster relief. In recent years this has seen the APCO Foundation give directly to families and individuals directly affected by Bushfires, COVID and more recently flood events.

APCO Foundation Chair Person Sharon Gleeson founded the APCO Foundation in 2013 together with her sisters, Mary Anne Carew, Jennifer Brennan, and Christine Healy. Their parents Ron and Margaret Anderson founded APCO back in 1968. The Anderson name is still synonymous today with APCO and remains the “A” in APCO with brothers Peter and Robert at the helm of the highly successful independent petrol and convenience retailer which has grown to 28 service stations in Victoria and NSW.

“Thousands of loyal customers support us each and every day and the APCO Foundation is an important platform for us to give back to the community that has supported us,” said Sharon Gleeson, APCO Foundation Chair Person.

“I think back to when a defibrillator saved the life of a customer in our Kangaroo Flat store. It was the initiative of the APCO Foundation many years ago to fund defibrillators in every APCO site that saved this person’s life,” proudly reflected Sharon.

“I know every dollar donated by the APCO Foundation goes directly to charities or individuals who really need it. The work of the APCO Foundation is a vital cog in the APCO wheel and we are very grateful to be a part of it” said Robert Anderson, APCO Service Station Managing Director.

“We set out to focus on kindness in our APCO communities and to win the hearts & minds of our customers, retail partners, team members and the broader APCO communities. I am proud to say ten years on I believe we have achieved this.” explained Sharon Gleeson.

“Whether someone is in crisis, someone who is hungry, someone who is ill, someone who is unable to get help anywhere else it makes us very proud that we are often the umbrella for those who may slip through the cracks. This is what makes the APCO Foundation so special. Our ability to help people quickly in a crisis is something that is unique about the APCO Foundation and the way our Board works together to achieve this is amazing.” said Sharon Gleeson.

“We couldn’t have achieved our 10-year milestone without the support of APCO support office, APCO’s customers, retail partners, our corporate community and an amazing Board who all volunteer their time and energy to run the APCO Foundation.” Sharon continued.

The APCO Foundation raises funds through receiving proceeds of sale from a range of selected products and services in store. APCO’s oil range and Chill water are major sources of revenue along with 22c from every coffee sold at all APCO stores every Tuesday in a fundraising initiative called 22c “TwosDay.”

A main source of revenue also comes from fundraising events including the Race for a Reason Race Day held annually at the Geelong Racing Club, the Geelong Wine Walk, which has now become a major event on the Geelong tourism calendar and more recently a Golfing for Good Golf Day held at the Curlewis Golf Club. APCO suppliers also contribute to the APCO Foundation by donating proceeds of monthly sales to the APCO Foundation through a program called “Kindness Champs.”

“With the hardship many families are experiencing its more important than ever that we continue with our work so we can keep giving back to those in need. We can’t underestimate the power of a simple act of kindness” said Sharon, “We are committed to our communities.”

An exciting new fundraising initiative to celebrate the 10-year anniversary will be launched on the 25th of July 2023 called the APCO Foundation Giving Day, this is an opportunity to spread even more kindness.