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Congresswoman Chellie Pingree nominated Mark Swann for Congressional Medal of Honor Society Citizen Before Self Award

Congresswoman Chellie Pingree said this morning that Mark Swann, Executive Director of the Preble Street Resource Center, has been selected as one of ten finalists from around the country for the Citizens Before Self Award. The award, called "the Most Prestigious Civilian Award in America," is given annually by the Congressional Medal of Honor Society.

"Mark's entire working life has been serving others and serving our community," Pingree said. "His commitment and his dedication to ending homelessness in Maine has been inspiring to watch and he deservesthis national recognition. We should all be proud of the work he's done."

The Congressional Medal of Honor Society, made up of the approximately 90 living recipients of the Congressional Medal of Honor, will select winners in two categories—Single Acts of Service and a Series of Acts of Service—who will be honored in a ceremony on March 23rd in Washington. Swann is one of ten finalists in the Series of Acts category.

Pingree said Swann personifies the meaning of the ideal of "service before self."

"Mark looked at the problem of homelessness in Maine and saw a solution and he's dedicated his life to working toward that solution. He has changed more lives and saved more lives than we will probablyever know," Pingree said.

In selecting Swann as a finalist, the Congressional Medal of Honor Society said this:

"Mark Swann of Portland, Maine has been recognized for providing decades of service by creating a community resource center, Preble Street Resource Center that has benefited thousands of homeless people. After a handful of shelters in his area closed, Swann mobilized resources and developed a shelter that has saved thousands of lives. As executive director of Preble Street Resource Center,Swann developed an organization to empower people experiencing problems with homelessness, housing, hunger, and poverty and to advocate for solutions tothose problems. As the local hub of programs for the most vulnerable and underserved residents of Portland, Preble Street offers three soup kitchens, a food pantry, a medical clinic, a day shelter, social services, a housing location program, and a homelessness prevention program. Mark Swann'sdedication to helping thousands of homeless people continues to be an inspiration and a credit to the state of Maine and to his fellow Americans."

A list of finalists can be found here

More about the award can be found here