An Ordinary Wednesday, An Extraordinary Act of Generosity
17 December 2025
How a Mortdale local’s decision is making a lasting difference for our community
It was an ordinary Wednesday morning in the St George Community office when an extraordinary call came through. We had just learned that our organisation was set to receive a generous $10,000 donation – thanks to a Mortdale local.
Long-time resident John Zivkovic (pictured second from left, with the St Geoge Community Team), through his employer Vivcourt Trading’s employee-led giving program, had chosen St George Community as the recipient of the donation – the largest single contribution in our organisation’s history.
John has lived in the St George area since 1979. Over the years, he has seen our vehicles around the neighbourhood, watched his parents use our services to stay independent and active, and regularly waves to the social outings bus as it collects his neighbour each week. For John, supporting St George Community felt like a natural choice.
“My parents have always spoken highly of the service, and my neighbour is cared for so well each week. I’ve been part of this community for decades, and this felt like a way to give something back,” John said.
St George Community CEO Natasha Stokes said the donation will have a real and immediate impact.
“This level of generosity is incredibly moving, and we’re very grateful to John and Vivcourt. As a small, local not-for-profit, we work hard every day to help people stay connected and supported. A gift like this helps us meet the needs we see on the ground and continue delivering the services our community relies on.”
John’s donation was made possible through Vivcourt, a trading firm with a unique philanthropic philosophy that places people and purpose at the centre of its business. With no external shareholders, Vivcourt reinvests its profits into employees and the community, empowering staff to direct significant donations to causes they care about.
A Vivcourt representative explained that employees are trusted to choose where their support will have the greatest impact.
“We aim for every employee to receive $10,000 twice a year to donate to a not-for-profit of their choice, giving them direct control over how we create change.”
For St George Community, this generosity will directly support our transport and social connection services for older people, people living with disability and vulnerable members of our community.
An ordinary Wednesday turned into something truly special – a reminder of the power of local generosity, and the difference it can make when people choose to give back to the community they call home.
Inspired by John’s story?
If you’d like to support the work we do in keeping people connected and supported in our community, you can find out how to make a donation on our website.
