John Rusinko Receives Distinguished Service Award
John Rusinko (third from left) poses with (l-r) Catholic Charities Board President Clinton Daly, Archbishop Edwin F. O’Brien, and Catholic Charities Executive Director Hal Smith after receiving his award.
Every year at An Evening With Catholic Charities, we honor a few extraordinary individuals who represent the best in our staff and volunteers. They personify our mission to cherish the Divine within those who need us and we are proud to count them among the Catholic Charities family. On Tuesday, March 4, one of our honorees was John Rusinko.
It is said that a man's worth can be measured by the lives he touches. If this is true, John Rusinko's commitment to improving the lives of children and their families will have a sweeping impact that exceeds the span of his 40-year career at Catholic Charities.
Under John's leadership as division director, Child and Family Services has grown from two programs in 1967 to a nationally-accredited 37-program division with over 1,000 employees today. From the beginning, his mission has been to empower families in crisis to make positive changes that restore their lives.
Modeling the approach he desires in staff, John has set a standard of compassionate interaction with children, their families and community partners. To enhance services and strengthen the division, staff is encouraged to share expertise and resources.
John continued his innovative approach to his job by heading an agency-wide Emergency Preparedness initiative to address the agency's need for adequate resources in the event of a disaster or an emergency.
When St. Veronica's Head Start needed an interim director, John volunteered. During his one-year term, he promoted a campaign to educate served communities on the need for early childhood education and its effectiveness in preparing young lives for future matriculation. Sensitive to the challenges that participating families face, he tailored new systems to ensure that their needs were met.
John Rusinko has diligently worked for the most vulnerable among us. That he has done so on behalf of Catholic Charities warrants our thanks and admiration.
