Rahul K. Bhardwaj - A Volunteer par excellence

Toronto lawyer and community leader Rahul K. Bhardwaj, 45, was appointed on June 25 as President and CEO of the Toronto Community Foundation.

Martin Connell, Chair of the Board of Directors of the Toronto Community Foundation, said, "Mr. Bhardwaj has a proven record of cultivating strong relationships with donors and community-based organizations. He has mobilized and managed volunteer groups and has a proven record as a manager, strategist and organizer. We believe that Rahul is the ideal person to guide our organization into the future."

"The Toronto Community Foundation is a powerful force that connects philanthropists with community needs and opportunities," Mr. Bhardwaj said. "I thoroughly enjoy bringing people together and supporting their efforts to build a stronger community. It enriches all our lives."

Throughout his career, Rahul has shown outstanding service to the community, holding senior volunteer positions with a variety of organizations, including as a Board member of the Stratford Festival of Canada, Art Gallery of Ontario Foundation, Wellspring Cancer Support Foundation and United Way of Greater Toronto, and as past Chair of the Toronto Downtown Jazz Festival.

Rahul has an extensive background in corporate law, strategic communications and community service. He was a corporate lawyer with one of Canada's leading law firms Meighen Demers (now Ogilvy Renault), a Vice President of the Toronto 2008 Olympic Bid and President of a communications consulting company.

Rahul believes in cultivating strong relationships with business, donors and community based organizations. He has mobilized and managed large volunteer contingents, and has a proven track record as a manager, strategist and organizer. 

Rahul is looking forward to working with volunteers, donors, business and community partners to build upon our tradition of improving life in Toronto.

Mr. Bhardwaj was born in London, England, and came to Canada with his parents when he was six years old. They settled in London, Ontario.

About Toronto Community Foundation

The Toronto Community Foundation (www.tcf.ca) is a public foundation dedicated to improving life in Toronto. It helps philanthropic citizens establish endowment funds and invests charitable gifts from a range of donors into a pooled income-earning fund.

It identifies areas of need and provides support to donors to help ensure grants from fund

earnings will have the greatest impact on Toronto's vital signs. The TCF's

Growing Active Kids program is one of three annual grant streams supported by

TCF's "Toronto Fund". Growing Active Kids supports groups in Toronto that are

working to increase access to recreational activities for children and youth. 

Toronto Community Foundation delivers $223,000 through Growing Active Kids program: Funds send hundreds of youth from underserved areas to summer sports and recreation programs

It provides families, individuals and businesses with a simple, powerful and

highly personal approach to charitable giving to create a permanent legacy to the community. The Foundation manages more than $200 million in charitable assets and last year distributed more than $8 million in grants to the community.