Clarke receives first Stewart Family Philanthropic Award
Sandals Foundation Executive Director Heidi Clarke is the first recipient of The Stewart Family Philanthropic Award.
Clarke, who received the award at the Eighth Annual Sandals Travel Agency Recognition Awards at Beaches Turks & Caicos on December 9, was recognised for her decade-long service and dedication to the foundation.
“Over the years, Clarke has been instrumental in developing and maintaining relationships with non-profit organisations in the Caribbean community, corporate partners and volunteers,” a news release from Sandals Resorts International (SRI) said.
According to Adam Stewart, deputy chairman of SRI and president of Sandals Foundation, Clarke has helped impact close to one million people in the region and has implemented hundreds of projects and programmes valued at over US$58 million over a 10-year period.
“It is with great honour that my family presents the first Stewart Family Philanthropic Award to one of the most big-hearted, purposeful individuals who has played an immense role in shaping the lives and the future of the Caribbean,” said Stewart. “Heidi Clarke is the champion at the helm of the Sandals Foundation and has effortlessly done the most remarkable job in inspiring hope and creating a sustainable impact on the islands we call home. Heidi’s passion and strong commitment to philanthropy are unprecedented.”
The Stewart Family Philanthropic Award is dedicated to honouring executives, partners and individuals whose exceptional leadership in the philanthropic sector has strengthened, built up and inspired entire Caribbean communities, the release explained, adding that it was created to recognise people who possess the same dedication to giving back to the Caribbean as the Stewart family, whose patriarch, Gordon “Butch” Stewart, is founder and chairman of the Sandals and Beaches resorts chain.
The release noted that “Butch” Stewart, who is also chairman of this newspaper, has been making a positive impact across the Caribbean for many years.
“His love for his land and people shone bright on many occasions, donating millions of dollars in cash, services, and materials to educational, civic, religious and charitable organisations, not just in the Caribbean, but throughout the world,” the release said.
“Stewart’s passion for service and helping those less fortunate was instilled in all his children, inspiring Adam Stewart to formalise their dedication to the Caribbean by creating the Sandals Foundation — the philanthropic arm of SRI — in 2009.”
Similar to Clarke, future recipients of The Stewart Family Philanthropic Award will exemplify:
• Dedication to improving the lives of others, carving out success and creating real change;
• Promotion of positive environmental and social transformation;
• Breaking out from the norm, thinking and doing different in order to serve his or her fellow Caribbean citizens;
• Transforming the power of a programme idea into action, impacting entire communities;
• Providing opportunity to under-represented, poor, and marginalised youth, playing an integral role in changing the lives of Caribbean children and families;
• Evidence of meaningful contributions to the non-profit sector and significant achievements in his or her field, and/or the service sector;
• Ability to build and use organisational infrastructure to increase mission and community impact; and
• A minimum of 10 years of experience serving others to create lasting change in the Caribbean and beyond.
More information about Clarke, the award, and how to nominate a game-changing individual or organisation for the next award can be found on the Sandals Foundation website: sandalsfoundation.org/.