By Liz Monteiro
We, at the YW Kitchener-Waterloo, join the community in congratulating our former CEO Elizabeth Clarke with the Jack Young Civic Award.
Inspiring vision and leadership, dedication and commitment to women in our community.
This is how we, at the YW Kitchener-Waterloo, describe our former CEO Elizabeth Clarke.
And we are not alone in recognizing the work of our former CEO and Waterloo Region councillor.
Recently, Elizabeth was recognized for her work when she received the Jack Young Civic Award.
The Region of Waterloo award, named after the first regional chair, celebrates those who have shown leadership and advocacy in the community. Not only did Elizabeth lead the YWKW organization, leaving an honourable legacy, but she was also a regional councillor for seven years. She was instrumental in increasing representation of women in local government with the YW-led Municipal Campaign School.
The vision behind Block Line Supportive Housing
Elizabeth was the vision behind the YW’s supportive housing building on Block Line Road in Kitchener – a building that is now home to 41 women who had faced chronic homelessness.
“This building, this concept was your hard work. We acknowledge the vision you had,” YWKW CEO Jennifer Breaton told staff, board members and guests at Block Line this week. A plaque honouring Elizabeth will be erected on the wall of the main entrance at Block Line. “Your impact will last forever,” said YWKW board chair Karen Coviello.
Elizabeth led the YWKW from 2000 to 2022, the year Block Line opened.
“We had an idea and we think this will work,” Elizabeth recalls of the initial days of opening a supportive housing building solely to serve vulnerable women. In 14 months, a partnership with the City of Kitchener, the Region of Waterloo and funding from the federal and provincial governments lead to the supportive housing project.
A second building for women and children opened adjacent to the first Block Line building a year later.
Elizabeth said she is thrilled to see Block Line thriving and “a model for the community.”
Other Jack Young Civic Award winners included former regional councillors Sean Strickland and Tom Galloway, and Mary Jane Patterson from Reep Green Solutions.
