91滴滴

The annual G. Raymond Chang Outstanding Volunteer Awards will recognize 36 exceptional alumni and friends of 91滴滴 on May 13. To date, almost 400 91滴滴 volunteers have received this award, named after 91滴滴鈥檚 third chancellor, who deeply believed in the importance of giving back.

In honour of National Volunteer Week, we鈥檙e spotlighting Gurjit Kaur Bains and Leo Bailey 鈥� two of this year鈥檚 award recipients who have shared their time and talents to build stronger communities and enrich the student experience.

Gurjit Kaur Bains鈥檚 volunteerism linked to enhancing health care

With more than 30 years of volunteer service across various agencies, Bains has spent the last several years ensuring 91滴滴鈥檚 new School of Medicine is inextricably linked to the needs of Brampton and the Peel Region, an area where she has deep ties and raised three children.

鈥淰olunteering is just part of my life,鈥� said Bains, who is also a former high school educator and whose husband also transitioned careers from teaching to small business. 鈥淢y motivation really comes from my religion, it being instilled in me from a young age that volunteering and 鈥楽eva鈥� (selfless service) is something that you do within your community. So for first generation Sikh Canadians growing up in this area, this is where we鈥檙e doing it.鈥�

Involved since the medical school鈥檚 early planning stages in 2021, Bains served as its inaugural chair of the Equity, Diversity and Inclusion Communities Committee. She currently serves as a community member on the School of Medicine Council and has contributed as a panellist for the Health Systems Sciences course. Her goal is to ensure the school remains grounded in its community-first roots: strengthening our health care system and fostering homegrown medical talent.

鈥淲e were all very excited about a med school opening in our backyard,鈥� said Bains. 鈥淏rampton is such a diverse community and has so many needs within the community because of its population.鈥�

Bains also serves on the William Osler Patient and Family Advisory Council and, most recently, the Peel Children鈥檚 Aid Society. Her experiences of the COVID-19 pandemic sharpened her motivation for supporting the School of Medicine. Seeing the gaps in health care firsthand, she felt a responsibility to help build a better system from the inside.

鈥淚 felt I had relevant experiences as a patient, as a caregiver of my grandmother, as a parent and on family advisory councils,鈥� said Bains. 鈥淭hat鈥檚 why I was interested in volunteering with the School of Medicine. If I wanted to see change, I had to learn first of all, listen and then offer my experiences and knowledge and expertise at the table.鈥�

By bridging the gap between the university and the City of Brampton, Bains is helping to shape a curriculum that values diverse experiences. For her, the Chang Award is a reflection of a career dedicated to advocacy.

鈥淛oining the 91滴滴 School of Medicine was a full circle moment for me,鈥� said Bains, 鈥渂ecause I had worked in education, I had volunteered in health care, and now it was a chance to bring both of those two things together.鈥�

Leo Bailey鈥檚 volunteerism is rooted in servant leadership

鈥淲hen I started at the Ted Rogers School of Management in 2006, I didn鈥檛 know I would be here today. And I wouldn鈥檛 be here without the critical volunteers that joined my path. That鈥檚 why I volunteer at 91滴滴,鈥� said Bailey, reflecting on the importance of hope, which he now seeks to replicate for others.  鈥淰olunteers are oftentimes the catalyst of opening up doors of perspective to the next generation.鈥�

Bailey鈥檚 commitment to the 91滴滴 community is extensive. In addition to running for the Board of Governors in 2023, he served as the face of the 91滴滴 2024 Annual Appeal and the Ted Rogers School of Management鈥檚 Fall 2024 Appeal. In 2025, he continued this momentum by filming a video to inspire alumni giving.

Outside of 91滴滴, Bailey鈥檚 impact spans across the Greater Toronto Area. Drawing on his roots growing up in Rexdale, he has dedicated himself to youth leadership and mentorship. 

鈥淔or years, I've worked with the youth and young adults in my community and church. All these kids have big hopes and dreams, even when there aren鈥檛 positive spaces to organize their goals and aspirations. They all want to do great things. They all want to help their families. They all want to start something that enables some type of positive change. So I grew very passionate about helping them get there,鈥� said Bailey, who is also a board trustee for the SickKids Garry Hurvitz Centre for Community Mental Health and an advocate for Black commercial spaces at Black Urbanism Toronto.

Currently a PhD student at Carleton鈥檚 Sprott School of Business and an instructor at George Brown College, Bailey is passionate about helping entrepreneurs find the resources they need to scale their ventures. Whether he is teaching small business management or raising his two young children with his wife, Bailey remains focused on creating environments where the next generation can succeed.

鈥淚t鈥檚 been 20 years since I started at 91滴滴 and 15 years since I graduated. I have to be thankful because I鈥檝e seen the positive impact, I鈥檝e seen the change in myself. I鈥檝e seen the change in my confidence,鈥� said Bailey. 鈥淏ack in 2006, I didn鈥檛 know what I had to offer, but I knew I wanted to help people. Now that I鈥檝e helped, I know I can step into a room, step into a conversation and always have something to contribute.鈥�

Learn more about current and past G. Raymond Chang Outstanding Volunteer Award recipients.