Gurvinder is a Senior Associate in the Transactions Services practice of the Deals group at PwC LLP. Gurvinder assists both financial and corporate buyers and sellers in evaluating investments, mergers and acquisitions.
Gurvinder became part of SEVA Food Bank 6 years ago – when SEVA was just getting started. Gurvinder had found out about the organization and its initiative via social media – and felt it was a great way to give back to the community.
Being of Sikh descent – the concept of SEVA resonated well with Gurvinders’ Sikh roots, personal philosophy of giving back and being part of something that would make a difference. Since SEVA was just getting started – Gurvinder was part of the various volunteer shifts that were focused on client intake, personal shopping and assisting with the distribution of food. From here Gurvinder participated in multiple Sub Committees that focused on Fundraising, Events Coordination/Organization, and Operational processes. All of these committees allowed Gurvinder to be more engaged and aware of what it took to be part of a well-run food bank, and as a result of his commitment – Gurvinder was invited to be part of the Board of Members for SEVA Food Bank in January 2016.
As of January 2016 – Gurvinder is the Board of Directors in part of the Finance Committee for SEVA Food Bank. This allowed the committee to not only leverage the experience Gurvinder had acquired in being part of SEVA for the past 6 years – but also allowed him to leverage his professional Finance background. As part of the Finance Committee – key accountabilities of Gurvinders’ role include but are not limited to Financial Reporting, Policy Creation & Review, and Cash-flow Management.
Gurvinder alongside other Board Members has continued to work with the wins and challenges that have come along as part of this role. There have been some great wins over the past 6 years, and one of them being when SEVA Food Bank went from one primary location (Wolfedale) to two locations – the second location in Malton. This was a great win for SEVA but did come with the challenges that are part of running an organization with multiple locations. Similar to other Board Members that support SEVA this has only strengthened the determination and dedication that team members like Gurvinder bring to SEVA.
Being part of SEVA has also provided a great deal of personal growth for Gurvinder, in that it has raised his level of empathy and awareness as he increased his interaction with clients who reached out to SEVA for support for themselves or their families. This has increased the appreciation of what we have on a daily basis, and a constant reminder of how truly blessed we are.
For the future of SEVA Gurvinder hopes that the organization grows to being more than just a Food Bank but instead a place that supports the community in multiple facets – contributing to its growth and well being, this hopefully will be in the form of future employment services, training programs, growth and development programs for the youth.