Bhavana Varma joins Providence Village Inc. Board of Directors

Providence Village Incorporated (PVI) welcomes Bhavana Varma as the latest member of its Board of Directors. Still in the construction phase, PVI is a not-for-profit registered charitable organization, which was established by the Sisters of Providence of St. Vincent de Paul in 2017.

Earlier this year, Varma announced she was stepping down from the position of CEO of United Way of Kingston, Frontenac, Lennox & Addington (KFLA) at the end of August, 2023. As previously reported, Varma made it clear she was not retiring, but instead was “looking forward to the next phase” of her journey. In a LinkedIn post, she shared, “After this, I will continue with some initiatives and will see what new opportunities may emerge. I also hope to travel, spend more time with my husband, visit family and friends – and I definitely plan on continuing to live in Kingston.”

As it turns out, one of those initiatives is supporting Providence Village Inc., whose mission statement notes that it is a community of hope, belonging and well-being for the vulnerable where diverse partners offer compassionate care and support services to honour and continue the spirit and Catholic legacy of the Sisters of Providence of St. Vincent de Paul.

“I am honoured to be invited to be a part of this exciting initiative that will have such a positive impact and I look forward to working with this wonderful Board and staff team,” Varma stated.

According to a release from PVI, the organization’s work is centred around key strategic objectives for the site which the Sisters have articulated. They include:

• Providing a mix of housing and community programs
• Focusing on vulnerable women and women-led families
• Realizing the mission through collaboration and partnerships
• Creating places and opportunities for people to come together
• Celebrating the heritage of the site, in particular, the chapel
• Maintaining and enhancing green space
• Being a financially sustainable project

“We are very pleased to have Bhavana join the Board of Providence Village Inc. She will make significant contributions to our Board’s deliberations,” said Doug Hogeboom, Board Chair.

Work is getting underway on several projects with partners in the Village, the organization noted. PVI stated that it is grateful to “add Bhavana’s extensive skillset to our continued planning as we work to serve the vulnerable in our community.”