Director and co-founder of Star Pharmacy Group Stan Kontos helped to establish the Universal Charitable Fund more than a decade ago, aiming to make a difference in the lives of needy people in Australia and around the world, with support from the group’s pharmacies and owners in South Australia, NSW and Queensland. He tells Retail Pharmacy about the charity’s origin, its aim and achievements.
How was the Universal Charitable Fund (UCF) established?
UCF (ucf.org.au) was established by me and board members (Paul Madden, Peter Gardiakos, Trevi Lim, and Fareed Heidari) in 2010 and is supported by the stores of Star Pharmacy Group.
Tell us about the charity and its objectives.
The founders decided to ‘pay it forward’ – giving grants to smaller charities both in Australia and overseas, supporting the poor and disadvantaged. Areas of highest support include the promoting of health and environment as well as community, youth and children.
Why did you decide to establish UCF and what did you aim to achieve with it?
Our decision to form this charity and have our stores support it is based on the wisdom that fulfilment in life comes from selfless contribution. And our aim is to give grants with impact and where 100 per cent of the funds go to the needy recipients.
Who in your organisation is involved?
Half of the current board are pharmacist-owners of the Star Pharmacy Group and the other half are from outside the group.
What are the highlights/successes to date of this initiative?
The foundation has had many successes. One of the most memorable is visiting and assisting an orphanage in the Philippines and helping them establish an eggery to assist with their financial self-sustainability. The tyranny of distance made it difficult to ensure proper systems were adhered to so that it would be a long-term income source for the orphanage. But nevertheless, it was a success and assisted the children immensely.
What is the reach or impact of the charity? Who has benefited from this initiative?
The board members all enjoy the variety of applications that come through to be assessed both in Australia and overseas. And it’s very gratifying when receiving reports back from the recipients about how the funds have helped change their lives for the better.
Are there other organisations/businesses connected to the charity that have helped you with this initiative?
UCF is happy to support eligible charities annually on an ongoing basis. One such charity is Bright Futures, which does incredible work helping people with life’s basic necessities, as well as helping self-sufficiency in countries like India, Kenya, Pakistan and Uganda.
What’s next for your pharmacy group and the charitable initiative?
Our goal for 2023 is to have an evening event in Adelaide at the Mercedes Benz dealership to introduce the charity to other businesspeople and raise larger amounts of funds. And remember, we give away 100 per cent of all donations to needy recipients.
What’s your advice to others trying to get initiatives like this off the ground?
My advice to others wishing to set up a foundation is to get an experienced accountant in this area, as there are many hoops to jump through, and knowledge is power. I also recommend choosing board members (ours are all volunteer board members, including myself) who are passionate about giving and the charity’s work. And thirdly, develop professional processes and systems to give your charity the very best of opportunities to succeed.
Anything else you’d like to include here?
If you don’t have a regular charity to support, please consider supporting UCF: 100 per cent of your funds will go to helping people in need.
This feature was originally published in the June issue of Retail Pharmacy magazine.
