Celebrating Our Volunteers: Andrew Iu
The spirit of philanthropy is alive and well in the hallways and heart of North York General Hospital (NYGH). All year long, North York General Foundation’s (NYGF) leadership volunteers give their time, expertise, ideas and connections to help advance our philanthropic work forward to benefit patients and families across our communities.
As we continue celebrating National Volunteer Week 2023, we are happy to introduce you to Andrew Iu, a leadership volunteer at NYGF who is inspiring the next generation of philanthropists. From practically growing up at NYGH, to now being a Board Member and co-chairing our new NextGen: Emerging Leaders for NYGH, Andrew’s love for the hospital and community runs deep.
What sets NYGH apart for you and what impact has it had on your life?
From a young age, I’ve seen first-hand the exceptional care NYGH provides patients and their families.
In a sense, I “grew up” at NYGH. When I was a child, I would visit the hospital with my father Dr. Simon Iu, one of NYGH’s most admired surgeons. I had my first stitches at NYGH and worked in my father’s office when I was a teen.
My wife Georgina and I continue to benefit from NYGH with both of our daughters arriving into the world at our hospital. As first-time parents, we appreciate the importance of giving back so all families can access great care close to home.
How do you turn your passion for community into action?
By the time I launched my career at Burgundy Asset Management, I wanted to give back to the hospital that helped me and countless others.
Over the years, I have been proud to provide support to NYGH in a multitude of ways, from donations to serving as a Governor on the Foundation Board and Vice Chair of the Investment Committee. I am also a keen fundraiser at many of the Foundation events and am the founder of Buy Side for NYGH which creates fundraising, networking and education opportunities for young professionals in financial services.
What inspires your hope for the future?
I think it’s important to do all that you can. I’m young and have energy, so the biggest impact I can make is with my time. That’s why I’m so proud to co-chair our brand-new initiative, NextGen: Emerging Leaders for NYGH, which is all about recruiting the next generation of philanthropists to drive us towards the future and champion the hospital’s growth.
NextGen rallies professionals who are emerging in their career to bring their energy, ideas and enthusiasm for health care fundraising to NYGF. Along the way they will meet and network with like-minded industry leaders and hospital executives. Ultimately, NextGen can serve as a feeder for future committee and board positions at NYGF, allowing newer professionals to use their unique skills and point-of-view as the hospital embarks on the largest fundraising campaign in its history.
For more information, on Next Gen: Emerging Leaders for NYGH, please visit our web page, or connect with Kylie Mondorf at kylie.mondorf@nygh.on.ca
