staff from Georgian Partners

Like many of us, the employees of Toronto-based fintech, Georgian, watched in fear as the world shut down around them in the first wave of COVID-19.

While their work continued remotely, they knew many people didn’t have the same luxury of stability and safety. So they decided to take action.

“We decided to start a 10-month program that looks to our staff to suggest local charities we can support that are doing innovative things to combat the impacts of COVID-19. Employees also make donations to the causes they feel most strongly about,” said Lead Investor Emily Walsh.

After doing a bit of research and learning about Covenant House, Investor Juri Zguri knew he found the charity he would nominate. “One of our cultural values at Georgian is maintaining a long-term view, and we found that Covenant House embraces this value as well,” he says.

However, Juri’s reason for choosing Covenant House was also personal. As a teenager growing up in East York, he remembers when one of his friends experienced homelessness and how helpless he felt. “I know he felt truly alone. This period of his life took a toll on his mental health.”

Juri researched organizations that support youth in similar circumstances and learned about Covenant House. “The organization has proven its impact, and we felt that our donation would directly impact youth in need, particularly when it comes to mental health support.”