York School News

Donor Spotlight: The George and Helen Vari Foundation

The George and Helen Vari Foundation has been supporting educational institutions and students for almost 40 years through bursaries, philanthropic gifts and other initiatives.
Madame Helen Vari describes her late husband George as a passionate advocate for education who believed its transformative impact should be available to students of all backgrounds.

“My husband was a champion of education because he knew first-hand what a difference it had made in his own life,” explains Mme Vari, “George believed that with an education and a country like Canada, you can do anything.”

The Honourable George W. Vari, P.C., O.C., trained as a civil engineer and economist before immigrating to Canada following the 1965 Hungarian revolution. Once settled, he became a successful international real estate developer dedicated to making a difference in the lives of others through the gift of education. 

Today, Mme Vari carries on his legacy at the Foundation by ensuring that students of all abilities and backgrounds have an opportunity to prosper.

The York School is honoured to be a recipient of a student bursary from the George and Helen Vari Foundation. By reducing financial barriers for deserving applicants, our Bursary Fund provides a springboard to opportunity while deepening our school community with greater diversity of perspectives, backgrounds and voices that make the learning experience better for everyone. 

“Everything I can do today is thanks to George and his vision,” says Mme Vari, “And what we have come to enjoy even more than the gift itself is that we keep in touch with the students. We love to hear their stories. We love to hear about their successes.”
Back