About
Founder of The Grant Morris Foundation
Childhood Caribbean Roots
Grant Morris was born and raised in Barbados, an island in the Lesser Antilles of the West Indies in the Caribbean Region of North America. Grant's journey in community service and appreciation for education began by observing his father, a school principal, provide secondary school tuition and clothing to underprivileged children who later became doctors, lawyers, and leaders in society. Grant lives by the creed that "the brotherhood of man transcends the sovereignty of nations and that service to humanity is the best work of life”.
Canadian Immigrant Story
Grant immigrated to Canada to pursue post-secondary education in the 1960s. Having earned both a bachelor's degree in Urban Studies from York University and a master's degree in education from the University of Toronto, Grant joined the Ontario Ministry of Housing, Treasury Economic and Intergovernmental Affairs where he worked for 18 years as a Planner and then Senior Planner. Grant left his government position to launch a successful private practice as a Planning and Development Consultant and he has helped develop over $20 million in real estate projects in Ontario's Durham region. His deep planning experience was recognized when he was appointed to the Ontario Municipal Board as a Tribunal Judge. In his eighties, Grant continues to run his consulting business and is equally dedicated to helping youth realize their university dreams as others willingly did for him.
For many years, Grant has been heavily involved in community work. In Barbados, as Chair of the Awards Commission of the Barbados Junior Chamber of Commerce (Jaycees); in Canada, President of the West Indies Federation Club (WIF),Chair of the Caribfest '82; Secretary Treasurer of the Caribbean Canadian Initiative Group; Chair of the Caribbean Islands Association; Vice Chair of the Barbados Ball and the Barbados Independence Celebration; Director of the Harrison/Queen's College Alumni Association; Chair of the Caribbean Event and Chair of the Grant Morris Foundation.
Grant has received many awards for his community service including the Unsung Hero Award of the Barbados Charity Ball; the Harry Jerome Award; the Pride of Barbados Award; Barbadian Model of Excellence, Barbados Charity ball; African Canadian Achievement Award of Excellence and the prestigious Honorary of Doctor of Laws confirmed by the University of Ontario Institute of Technology and in 2023, the Order of the Republic of Barbados. Grant is quick to acknowledge that these awards equally belong to the members of the Caribbean Event/The Grant Morris Foundation and others who supported his vision of giving back to the community whether in Barbados, the Caribbean or Canada.
Pat believes that a clear and compelling vision is an essential ingredient that underpins and volunteer initiatives.
Patricia Sammy was born in Trinidad and had the pleasant ‘misfortune’ of hooking up with Grant Morris where she soon found herself in a volunteer capacity dealing with a significant number of Barbadian functions.
Pat was educated at ASJA Girls’ College in San Fernando, Trinidad and emigrated to Canada in 1973. For 31 years she was employed by Bell Canada where she held many important positions including Senor Clerk in the Construction Department where shesometimes acted as Manager in the absence of her boss and Senior Associate in the Engineering Department.
Her engineering background provided her with the communication, leadership and organizational skills which have served her well in executing the various volunteer community tasks which she has carried out with professional dexterity. When she is not doing community work, she provides valuable management and administrative support for Grant Morris Associates Ltd., a Planning and Development Consultant firm in Pickering where she lives.
Over the years Pat has been the Unsung Hero who has played a major role behind the scenes in the organizing and administration of functions and seating plans held by the Harrison/Queen’s College Alumni, the Barbados Charity Ball and the annual Barbados Independence Gala. These skills are critical to create an exceptional guest experience which contributes to those organizations ability to generate the key funding for their charitable objectives.
Pat’s real passion lies with her role as a Director of The Grant Morris Foundation/The Caribbean Event. This Event has been in existence for 26 years and raises money for t he Event’s charitable objectives, including seventeen (17) yearly scholarships valued at $65,000.00, providing some $75,000.00 to the Event’s Endowment Scholarship at the Ontario tech University. More recently she has assisted with the setting up of computer labs, mainly in rural schools throughout the Caribbean to assist financially challenged students in developing computer skills and experience. She also plays a key role in the Christmas Toy Drive which contributes toys to financially challenged children.
Up until last year, the Caribbean Event was held in the backyard of her home in Pickering with some 450 in attendance each year by personal invitation. The Event is now being held at Sts. Peter & Paul Banquet Hall, 241 Milner Avenue, Scarborough.
In 2002, Pat Sammy was recognized for her community service through a plaque presented by the Caribbean Event. In 2004, upon her retirement from Bell Canada after 31 years of service, was given the Bell Canada Service Award. In 2019 she received the Community Service Award at the Barbados Charity Ball, presented by the Consul General for Barbados at Toronto.
Pat Sammy was a member of the working committee for “Bey9nd Rum and Saltfish” commemorating Barbados’ 50th Anniversary Year of Independence in 2016; the Caribbean Event’s 20th Anniversary booklet and the Harrison/Queen’s College Commemorative Publication 2022.
The Education Gap: A National Injustice
Income inequality prevents smart, intelligent and capable youth with high potential from achieving that potential and becoming contributing members of society. Over time, social systems are impacted and the local economy cannot grow. This has a ripple effect on the Canadian socioeconomic infrastructure.
Education and mentorship programs are the solutions to core socioeconomic problems, empowering youth with scholarship opportunities from high school through post-graduate education and preparing them for the 21st-century workforce.
Statistics Canada research indicates that students with a university bachelor's degree from the lowest parental income quintile out-earned their peers with no post-secondary education by $32,000 annually or 165%.
The Grant Morris Foundation Scholarship
The Grant Morris Foundation scholarship is designed to support students, particularly those of Caribbean heritage living in Ontario, Canada, pursuing post-secondary education, special attention is given to children from single parent homes.
For students who are selected for undergraduate or postgraduate scholarships, the Grant Morris Foundation will award $4,000 per year until graduation. When combined with other possible sources of financial aid, the Grant Morris Foundation scholarship should significantly reduce the need for students to seek private loans to pay for their post-secondary education.
The Grant Morris Foundation scholarship is an important part of Dr. Morris' goal to increase the number of students who earn a first degree or credential and dramatically improve their standard of living and ability to contribute their time and talent to society.
How You Can Make An Impact
We have raised over $1.6 million to date and impacted countless lives. If you would like to get involved and support our community, please donate today.
Raised and donated a cumulative total of $1,642,000 for youth development and education
Approximately $556,000 of the total funds raised to date were earmarked for the Grant Morris Endowment Fund at Ontario Tech including $326,479 Contribution by Grant Morris Associates Ltd. towards the cost of staging the Fundraising Event.
The Grant Morris Endowment Fund at Ontario Tech University has awarded 40 scholarships to students with financial barriers
225 Bursaries and Scholarships have been awarded to students attending Junior/High School/Colleges and Universities across Canada
Education Creates New Pathways
The Grant Morris Foundation enables multicultural youth, particularly those of Caribbean heritage or are financially impaired and are living in Canada, to achieve their potential by providing scholarship and mentorship opportunities.
