Timeline
Our timeline explores some key moments and milestones that have played a significant role in Lutherwood's history. Move back and forth through the past five decades by using the navigation above.
- Lutherwood Begins as a Centennial Project1967
Lutherwood begins as a centennial project sponsored by the Lutheran Church of Canada to "serve a genuine need among our people, and be something they would be proud and happy to have begun at this milestone in history.
Photo: Pastor Meibohm, C.N. Weber, Al Schendel, Rev. Erdman and Ralph Kraft
- Clearing the Land1969
Land is cleared and construction starts on a small residential mental health treatment centre on Benjamin Road in Waterloo
- Lutherwood Opens its Doors1970
Original building completed to house 14 boys in full-time residence, a classroom, a recreational area and offices.
Photo: Original cottage (1970)
- Lutherwood Expands1971
Groundbreaking for first of several expansions accommodates addition of day treatment and educational programming to the residential program.
Photo: groundbreaking ceremony for the E.R.A building. (left to right) Ralph Kraft, Dean Engbrecht, Allan Schendel, Carl N. Weber, Wallace Moll, Architect, Rev. Horace Erdman and Rev. Theodore Meibohm, Director
- First Expansion into the Community1978
The Highland-Stirling Community Project - Lutherwood's first expansion into the community - provided social support to children and families with a focus on early prevention.
Photo: Highland Stirling Community Centre
- Lutherwood Child & Family Foundation is Established1981
As funding sources became scarce and difficult times were forecasted, Lutherwood Child and Family Foundation was established to secure funds for its program needs.
Photo: Pastor Meibohm receiving one of Lutherwood's first donations, a $500 cheque from Redeemer Lutheran Church in Sarnia (1972)
- Home Care Program1981
The Home Care Program launches to provide mental health supports for 9-14 year-old youth in their own homes.
Photo: C.C.Ws Rob Kennedy and Ann Jones working with youth.
- Helping Youth Find Work1983
With a youth unemployment rate of 20%, Lutherwood establishes a Youth Employment Centre to offer 16-24 year-old adults counselling, training and other supports for finding full-time employment.
Photo: Lutherwood Employment Counselling staff gathered outside main entrance
- Helping Youth Find Safe, Affordable Housing1983
Lutherwood starts offering housing services with a single Housing Counsellor working out of the Youth Employment Centre to assist young people in their search for safe, affordable housing.
Photo: Gord MacDonald was Lutherwood's original Housing Coach
- New Assessment Centre Opens1988
Lutherwood Assessment Services location opens in downtown Kitchener to provide children and youth with psychological, neuro-psychological, psychiatric and other assessments before beginning treatment programs.
Photo: Lutherwood Assessment Services location at 39 Water Street N., Kitchener.
- Child & Parent Place is Established1988
Child & Parent Place (CAPP) launches at Emmanuel United Church (Waterloo) to give children, whose family is experiencing separation or divorce, a neutral, safe, supervised site for visits with the parent who no longer resides with the family.
Photo: Advertisement for Child & Parent Place open house in Lutherwood News, Fall 1988 edition.
- Lutherwood Achieves Accreditation1990
Lutherwood becomes one of the first agencies to achieve accreditation through the Ontario Association of Children's Mental Health Centres.
Photo: Jean Smith (Auditor) with Clint Rohr and Cheryl Martin (1990)
- Expansion of Employment Services1992
Lutherwood Employment Services expands and moves into Kitchener's former Fox Theatre to provide youth with easy access to training, education, life skills and employment counselling.
Photo: former Fox Theatre, Downtown Kitchener
- A Community for Seniors1996
Ground is broken on Luther Village on the Park - a community to support seniors in their retirement years.
- Lutherwood Merges with CODA1998
Lutherwood merges with CODA (Community Opportunities Development Association) and Cambridge Interfaith Family Counselling to deliver adult, self-employment, housing and counselling services in Cambridge and Guelph.
Photo: CODA office at 35 Dickson Street. Presently the site of Lutherwood's Cambridge Employment and Housing office.
- Grand Opening of Luther Village on the Park1998
Luther Village opens as a safe and caring space for seniors and to generate additional funds to support Lutherwood's services
Photo: Luther Village in 1998, shortly after the finishing touches were added to the building.
- Woodlands Cottage Built2000
Woodlands cottage opens to increase residential mental health treatment capacity at Children's Mental Health Centre
Photo: Woodlands Cottage located at 285 Benjamin Road
- Lutherwood Acquires Safe Haven Youth Shelter2001
Lutherwood acquires Safe Haven Youth Shelter, providing youth as young as 12 with emergency shelter and a safe alternative to living on the streets.
Photo: Lutherwood Housing Services and Safe Haven Youth Shelter location at 41 Weber St. W., Kitchener (formerly known as Betty Thompson Youth Centre)
- Luther Village Expands2003
Luther Village adds assisted living suites to provide services that enable seniors to live independently for as long as possible.
Photo: Groundbreaking of Luther Village's Sunshine Centre for assisted living (2003)
- The first "BoardWalk" (Steps for Kids)2008
Lutherwood Child & Family Foundation hosts its first BoardWalk (later named Steps for Kids) to raise funds for mental health services and youth activities.
Photo: Lutherwood staff and Board members taking part in the first BoardWalk, which took place at Luther Village on the Park
- Specialized Newcomer Services Offered in Guelph2008
The Job Search Workshop program launches in Guelph as the first Lutherwood program designed specifically to help newcomers find work.
Photo: Lutherwood's former Guelph Employment office (2008)
- Front Door Becomes New Children's Mental Health Access Point2009
KidsLink (now Carizon) and Lutherwood open Front Door as a central access point for children's mental health services in Waterloo Region.
Photo: Sonja Pouyat, KidsLink Executive Director and John Colangeli, Lutherwood CEO cut the cake at Front Door's open house (2009)
- Lutherwood Earns Best Workplace Award2010
Efforts to enhance workplace culture earn Lutherwood its first of three annual Best Workplace Awards.
Photo (left to right): Bud Norman, Chris Sellers, Sunny Field, Mark Huehnergard, Ann Van Norman, Sandra Watt, Shelley Westerman and John Colangeli
- Children's Mental Health Centre Expands2011
Children's Mental Health Centre renovations and expansion provides a more open and welcoming space for youth in care.
Photo: New Atrium Lutherwood's Benjamin Road site (2012)
- Housing Services Grows2012
Lutherwood's Housing Services expands to serve the population in Cambridge
Photo: Lutherwood Housing Staff outside Kitchener's Housing Services location (2012)
- Lutherwood is Named Lead Agency for Children's Mental Health2014
Government selects Lutherwood as Lead Agency responsible for quality and planning of children's mental health services in Waterloo Region.
Photo: Lead Agency Advisory Committee (2015)
- Re-located Guelph Office Improves Accessibility2017
Guelph Employment Centre relocates in downtown Guelph to improve accessibility and better serve the community.
Photo: New Guelph Employment office located at 89 Wyndham St. N. (3rd Floor)
- Lutherwood Housing Leads Two Key Initiatives in Waterloo Region2018
Region of Waterloo selects Lutherwood to lead two key initiatives aimed at ending chronic homelessness in Waterloo Region.
Photo: Lutherwood staff at Housing Resource Centre in Kitchener