Madhuri Payidiparty

Volunteer MBC

Nominator Comments:

At the start of the pandemic, we mobilized to address gaps that our member organizations indicated they did not have capacity to address. This resulted in Volunteer MBC taking on a more significant level of frontline service. Our Continuum of Care project involves coordination with several organizations in the supply and demand of emergency response services. The Continuum streamlines help requests and asset mapping between numerous non-profit organizations, to deliver meals and other essentials more efficiently to vulnerable people. Madhuri played a lead role in this project by coordinating volunteers and much of the logistics. There was also a major need for volunteer drivers to fulfill the delivery of essentials. Madhuri led the effort to recruit volunteers and onboard them into these roles. Madhuri has been the lead in the day-to-day collaboration with partner organizations like Moyo Health and Community Services, the Toronto and Region Conservation Authority, Knights Table, and others. Her commitment level is extremely high, as she has been focused on ensuring there is no breakdown in the services, the partnerships, or the volunteer engagement. Frequently, this has meant putting in long hours, dealing with emergency situations, creative problem solving, and self-sacrifice.  In 2021, we launched, BoardWalk, an inclusive program that focuses on training newcomers and underrepresented individuals on board governance and other leadership topics and matches them with boards and committees of local not-for-profit organizations. Recovering from the pandemic demands more skilled and strategic leadership in the sector. Madhuri played a key part in the matching component of this project. As participants completed the training, she met with them to understand their goals and connect them with leadership opportunities at community service organizations. Therefore, Madhuri has had a direct hand in increasing the diversity of not-for-profit leadership in Peel. Madhuri has left an indelible mark on everyone who knows her. In many ways, Madhuri is the face of Volunteer MBC–the best version of ourselves. Her kindness, patience, and genuine care and appreciation of others shines through.