The 2010 Presidential Citizen's Medal

WH.gov: The 2010 Presidential Citizen's Medal

President Obama honors the 13 recipients of the Presidential Citizen's Medal in a ceremony at the White House. The Citizens Medal recognizes Americans who perform "exemplary deeds of service."

2010 Presidential Citizens Medal Winners

Dr. Roberta Diaz Brinton (Los Angeles, Calif.): Dr. Brinton volunteers as Director of the USC Science, Technology, and Research (STAR) program, which provides South Central LA high school students with an integrated science education pipeline that includes education, hands-on research, mentoring and summer jobs.

Dr. Daisy Brooks (Chicago, Ill.): Dr. Brooks founded Daisy's Resource and Development Center, which helps pregnant girls 12-21, providing education and vocational training.

Betty Chinn (Eureka, Calif.): Ms. Chinn came to the U.S. after fleeing Communist persecution that left her mute; in the U.S. she found her voice and a life where, for over twenty years, she has provided food and clothing to the needy twice a day.

Cynthia Church (Wilmington, Del.): A breast cancer survivor, Ms. Church founded Sisters on a Mission, which assists women of color who have breast cancer.

Mary K. Hoodhood (Grand Rapids, Mich.): Ms. Hoodhood engages in a variety of volunteer activities, including founding Kids’ Food Baskets, which provides brown bag dinners to elementary school children living in poverty.

Kimberly McGuiness (Cave Spring, Ga.): Ms. McGuiness is an advocate on behalf of deaf children in Georgia.

Jorge Muñoz (New York City, N.Y.): Mr. Muñoz is a naturalized citizen who drives a school bus by day and at night serves food to the homeless from his truck.

Lisa Nigro (Chicago, Ill.): Ms. Nigro founded Inspiration Café, a restaurant for the homeless, which has grown into an organization that provides holistic services to help the homeless.

Mary Ann Phillips (Star Valley Ranch, Wyo.): Ms. Phillips volunteers in Germany with Soldiers’ Angels, a nonprofit that provides support to soldiers wounded in Iraq and Afghanistan.

Elizabeth Cushman Titus Putnam (Shaftsbury, Vt.): Ms. Putnam founded the Student Conservation Association, which places volunteers in conservation service positions around the U.S. and in several foreign countries.

Susan Retik (Needham, Mass.): After the death of her husband on September 11th, Ms. Retik founded Beyond the 11th, which helps Afghani widows and their children.

Myrtle Faye Rumph (Inglewood, Calif.): Following the drive-by shooting death of her son, Ms. Rumph founded the Al Wooten Jr. Heritage Center to provide a safe haven and intervention programs for South Central LA youth.

George Weiss, Jr. (Marine, Minn.): Mr. Weiss founded the Fort Snelling Memorial Rifle Squad, which performs final military honors for deceased veterans (over 55,000 to date).

Americans who go above and beyond for their community and country don't go unrecognized. For more than 40 years, extraordinary citizens and public figures have been honored with the Presidential Citizens Medal, which recognizes “citizens of the United States of America who have performed exemplary deeds of service for their country or their fellow citizens.”
-- Executive Order 11494 (Nov. 13, 1969)

Kudos to the Honorees!