$2.5 Million in Educational Endowments Help Foster the Next Philanthropic Generation

Toronto, Ontario (PRWEB) October 16, 2013

As a result of over $2.5 million in matched donations, The St. George’s Society of Toronto continues its nearly 100-year history of providing educational endowments to universities across the city. On October 16th, the Society and its benefiting Toronto universities will honor 20 scholarship and award recipients at a special reception sponsored by Uniglobe Airstream Travel, Marinucci & Company, and McCarthy Law Professional Corporation.

In addition to honouring the 2013 St. George’s scholars, the Society will also be launching a mentorship program to connect students with affluent members of Toronto society. Noted philanthropists Ivan Fecan, former President and CEO of CTVglobemedia, and Sandra Faire, President and CEO of SFA Productions Inc., will attend the ceremony. Faire and Fecan helped establish York University’s $720,000 educational endowment fund when they were awarded the St. George’s Society of Toronto’s 2009 Award of Merit.

“York University is a stand-out example of why Ivan and I chose to make our donation in the area of arts and education,” said Faire at the 2009 Red Rose Ball. “This kind of support isn’t a luxury, it’s a necessity.”

Fecan and Faire are known for their philanthropic contributions to higher education, including a generous donation of $1 million which helped fund the state-of-the-art Sandra Faire and Ivan Fecan Theatre at York U. They are considered role models who encourage future generations to engage in philanthropy.

At the 2008 York University Spring Convocation, Fecan urged others to “make a choice to give back, make a difference and start now, because you can.”

Fecan and Faire’s sentiments echo The St. George’s Society of Toronto’s almost 100-year commitment to support higher education in the city. On the evening of November 21, 1921, University of Toronto Professor of English Literature, David R. Keys, presented a lecture to a full house at St. George’s Hall, the newly built focal point for the charitable works and fellowship activities of the Society. After establishing a $1 million endowment at the University of Toronto and its federated colleges, the Society has built partnerships with Wycliffe College, OCAD, the University of Toronto, Ryerson University, and York University. These educational endowments provide hundreds of individual scholarships that give students the opportunity to expand their horizons and help foster the next generation of community leaders.

“It is a great feeling to know that my efforts have been recognized,” says past University of Toronto award recipient, Roxana. “I hope that one day I will be able to give back as well and make someone feel just as honoured as I feel today.”

About The St. George’s Society of Toronto
The St. George’s Society of Toronto has a long-standing history as the city’s most established charitable institution. When the society was founded in 1834, its members provided food, medical assistance, and financial support for incoming immigrants to Toronto to help them adjust to life in Canada. Its rich heritage has enabled its members to become active participants in transforming Toronto into Canada’s most cosmopolitan city.

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