As many of our friends and colleagues will have learned, our dear Mary-Jane McKitterick, founding member of the A Way Home Canada staff team, passed away in November of 2023 surrounded by those she loved most in the world.

Mary-Jane was deeply committed to the work of preventing and ending youth homelessness and had a real passion for the people she worked with and learned from in Canada and internationally. Her time with us was tragically cut short and her absence has been felt across our team and networks who cherished her presence and contributions. At the same time, Mary-Jane has left her mark on our work in ways that continue to have positive ripple effects in our day-to-day thinking and advocacy.

On behalf of A Way Home Canada and Mary-Jane’s husband, Matt McGarvey, and in deepest gratitude to Mary-Jane’s legacy in our field, we would like to announce the Mary-Jane McKitterick Memorial Award for 2024-2025.

This first iteration of the Award will provide a full-ride scholarship for a young changemaker to attend A Way Home Canada and the Canadian Observatory on Homelessness’ upcoming Making the Shift International Conference on the Prevention of Youth Homelessness. The award seeks to honour three aspects of Mary-Jane’s ethos and approach to her work and personal life:

  • Community-Based Activism
  • Pursuing and Sharing Knowledge with Passion, Openness and Generosity 
  • Equity and Systems Change

Community-Based Activism:

Mary-Jane was deeply engaged in many aspects of community life and activism that reflected her values in action. She was also committed to supporting local efforts to bring about change through coalition-building and a focus on relationships and trust. Mary-Jane was always on the leading edge of knowledge on community organizing and development, and was an avid supporter and frequenter of training and resources from Tamarack Institute, FSG, and other social change groups. Her lifestyle, hobbies, and interests reflected that the personal was inherently political, and she never shied away from examining her day-to-day practices and impact in her community to find new ways to contribute to positive local change. 

Pursuing and Sharing Knowledge with Passion, Openness and Generosity:

Mary-Jane had a profound hunger and appreciation for knowledge in its many forms. She read, listened to and watched as much content as she could to challenge her worldview and bring new perspective into the gaps in her own understanding and experience. Mary-Jane held her perspective up for reflection and critical examination, bringing vulnerability to her learning journey that opened her up to change and growth.

Beyond her own personal learning, Mary-Jane was generous with her time and knowledge. She had an infectious curiosity about the world and structures of power that drew people into a safe, but critical space to examine their own beliefs and values. Her warmth and humility made those around her desire to not only know better, but to be and do better. 

Commitment to Equity and Systems Change:

Mary-Jane was an early adopter of systems thinking, which speaks to the need to make visible the inequitable and unjust systems, structures and practices that shape, enable and constrain our lives. She was deeply aware of the need to link local activism with broader transformations and visions for structural and systemic equity.

Her commitment to deep equity in systems change fueled her involvement in the Systems Planning Collective and shaping of its Community of Practice. Her approach reflected a core belief that all social justice and changework is interconnected and mutually reinforcing, from housing justice to environmental justice, to racial justice and beyond. 

For information on eligibility and how to apply for the Award, please see our FAQ document (both English and French included) and application/nomination form. 

The next iteration of the Mary-Jane McKitterick Memoial Award will be announced in the coming months to continue the goal of fostering the next generation of changemakers. We invite you to follow along and look for opportunities to connect us with brilliant young leaders who embody the values and commitments of Mary-Jane.