Paying It Forward: Penguin Community Rallies Around Locals Doing It Tough

What started with one spare fuel voucher at Ampol Penguin has quickly grown into an incredible show of generosity, with locals stepping up to help others in their community who may be doing it tough.

The idea began when the team at Ampol Penguin had a spare voucher they had purchased while testing their system. Rather than let it go to waste, they decided to offer it to someone who needed a helping hand.

A post was shared on the Ampol Penguin Facebook page, asking locals to nominate someone who could use the voucher.

“The response was immediate, with people tagging others and sending us messages,” Rachel from Ampol Penguin said.

Then, the following day, an anonymous customer walked into the store and added money to the voucher so the team could help someone else.

“There were so many people nominated that we ended up putting all of the names into a basket and randomly selecting someone. And from there, the whole thing just grew.”

Since then, the generosity has continued.

Around eight separate donations of $100 have now been made, with more continuing to come through every few days.

One anonymous gentleman has donated twice. On his second visit, he brought in a $100 IGA voucher from a nearby store as well as another $100 in cash to pass on.

“He told us that he had once been in a time of need himself, and now that he is in a position to help, he wants to give back to people in the community who are struggling,” Rachel said.

Some recipients have been randomly selected from community nominations, while at other times the Ampol Penguin team has quietly identified someone who they know could use the support.

“Not everyone in our community is on Facebook, and we know there are many people quietly struggling who may never put their hand up or ask for help.”

The donations have already helped people in many different circumstances — from simply putting fuel in someone’s car to helping a customer who was faced with choosing between buying fuel and replacing headlights they desperately needed.

“Those moments really stay with you,” Rachel said.

“I feel like we’ve started something bigger than just a pay-it-forward voucher. We’ve started a movement where people are looking out for one another and helping where they can.”

For Rachel and Joel, who recently took over Ampol Penguin as a locally owned and family-run business, the response has been particularly meaningful.

“When Joel and I took over Ampol Penguin, we wanted to be more than just a place where people stopped for fuel. We wanted to be part of the community, and this has been such an amazing way to see that vision come to life.”

Rachel said the initiative had been a reminder of just how special small communities can be.

“I love the saying ‘locals supporting locals’, and this is exactly what that looks like.

“It’s people helping people, without expecting anything in return, and that’s something really special.”

The Ampol Penguin team says it feels privileged to have been trusted to help distribute the donations and incredibly grateful for the generosity shown by customers, local businesses and the wider community.

“We couldn’t have asked for a better way to start our journey as a locally owned and family-run business.

“We are so proud to be part of the Penguin community, and we can’t thank everyone enough for the generosity, trust and support they have shown us.”

To follow the pay-it-forward initiative or nominate someone who may need a helping hand, visit the Ampol Penguin Facebook page.