National Philanthropy Day, Recognizing The Importance Of Working Together For The Common Good
You’d be hard-pressed to find a Saint Johner who hasn’t heard about the Georgoudis family. The cousins who run Vito’s are the sons of four Greek brothers who opened the pizza joint in the 1970s.
And while most Saint Johners will argue Vito’s serves some of the best pizza in town, in many ways the company is beloved as much for its community involvement as its pie.
Through their businesses, the Georgoudis family has given substantially to our community; sports teams, animal welfare, mental health, health care, you name it, they’ve helped.
The family has been a long-time and very generous supporter of the Saint John Regional Hospital Foundation, donating nearly $100,000 in the last 30 years.
As “Big George” Georgoudis explains, giving back to the community is part of the family’s approach to being good citizens.
“It’s a part of our DNA. It’s a part of what our father’s done in the community,” Georgoudis says. “It’s not so much why, but it’s sort of an expectation.”
November 15 is National Philanthropy Day. While the day is a great reminder of how important and impactful charitable giving is, it’s also a chance to recognize the individuals and businesses who give back to the non-profit and charitable organizations that keep communities like Saint John strong and vibrant.
Georgoudis says giving to charity does come with some business benefits but that’s not why he and his cousins do it.
“We believe that, as a business, you benefit from the community and you are expected to give back – and we feel that we want to be able to give back,” he says. “It’s always been about doing the right thing and helping the community.”
The philanthropic spirit among Saint John business owners stretches far beyond the Georgoudis family.
Barb Murphy and her husband D’Arcy own and operate 17 local Tim Horton’s outlets. Murphy says their businesses have received incredible community support and want to return it in kind.
“Businesses like ours rely on the supportive people around us. It’s a relationship that D’Arcy and I truly value and have and always want to foster in any way we can,” says Barb Murphy.
For a long time, Murphy’s charity of choice has been the Saint John Hospital Regional Foundation, supporting its work in many ways. She and the hockey team she started have worked to maintain and upgrade the hospital gardens – bringing in new furniture and colourful plants for cancer patients to enjoy while receiving treatment.
“It is something that is so rewarding and has had a huge impact on me, personally,” Murphy says. “We’ll get comments from people who appreciate these beautiful gardens and that’s really so nice.”
Recently, D’Arcy and Barb’s charitable giving has taken on new meaning for Murphy, after she had to use the hospital for serious back surgery. It was a “scary” procedure she “never ever thought” she would have to have.
“When you have health challenges, I think it really puts everything into perspective. You realize how vital it is to contribute. This can be a monetary donation or a donation of your time through volunteering,” Murphy adds.
“Philanthropy does create a healthier community of individuals because we all know that there are others around who are there to help if needed. We give back because it is the right thing to do, but also because it is a great way to build a culture of kindness in our community.”
Murphy says that while the individual work she does helping with the hospital garden is rewarding, she also realizes she can make an even more significant impact through her business.
Georgoudis agrees.
“We can leverage our position. We can encourage our customers and suppliers to help out as well. We can be more of a facilitator,” he says.
“As businesses, I think we owe it to our communities. It should be in all business’ DNA — it should be recognized as a civic duty — to give back to the community,” says ‘Big George’ Georgoudis.
James Gallagher, the president and CEO of the Saint John Hospital Foundation, says donations that come through generous and community-minded people and business owners are incredibly important.
“I’m so grateful for the thoughtful generosity of our community. It’s very inspiring,” he says. “I get to see firsthand the selflessness of people like the Murphy and Georgoudis families, and countless others.”
He also says that’s true of the community in general.
“I also get to witness the incredible impact your collective donations have on local patient care,” he says. “Because of you, our doctors, nurses, and clinicians have access to the latest tools, technology, research, support, and education, to ensure our family and friends are receiving the very best healthcare. I can’t thank you enough. I mean it when I say, your kind gifts are changing, and saving lives.”
He says National Philanthropy Day is a day to celebrate the incredible people who give back to our communities and a great way to remind people of the very real impact made through philanthropy.
Gallagher encourages any individuals or business owners who want to enrich their community to find a charity or organization they believe is doing good work and give what they can.
This story was sponsored by the Saint John Regional Hospital Foundation.