Mary Scullion
Encyclopedia
Sister Mary Scullion, R.S.M.
is a Philadelphia-based American
Roman Catholic Religious Sister
and activist, ranked in 2009 as one of the "World's Most Influential People" by Time
.
Scullion joined the Sisters of Mercy
and began working on behalf of the homeless
in 1976. She has been involved in service work and advocacy for homeless and mentally ill persons since 1978. She was a co-founder in 1985 of Woman of Hope, which provides permanent residences and support services for homeless mentally ill women.
In 1988 she helped to found the Outreach Coordination Center, an innovative program coordinating private and public agencies doing outreach to chronically homeless persons in Center City Philadelphia. The following year she and her associate, Joan Dawson McConnon, co-founded Project H.O.M.E.
, a nationally recognized organization providing solutions to homelessness and poverty. She is an advocate for the homeless and mentally ill. Her efforts resulted in the right of homeless persons to vote as well as a landmark federal court decision that affects the fair housing rights of persons with disabilities.
's prestigious "Leadership for a Changing World Award".
She also serves on the Board of the The Jon Bon Jovi Soul Foundation
and of CeaseFire PA, and in 2010 she was appointed by Mayor Michael Nutter to serve on the City of Philadelphia's Board of Ethics.
Sisters of Mercy
The Religious Order of the Sisters of Mercy is an order of Catholic women founded by Catherine McAuley in Dublin, Ireland, in 1831. , the order has about 10,000 members worldwide, organized into a number of independent congregations....
is a Philadelphia-based American
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
Roman Catholic Religious Sister
Nun
A nun is a woman who has taken vows committing her to live a spiritual life. She may be an ascetic who voluntarily chooses to leave mainstream society and live her life in prayer and contemplation in a monastery or convent...
and activist, ranked in 2009 as one of the "World's Most Influential People" by Time
Time (magazine)
Time is an American news magazine. A European edition is published from London. Time Europe covers the Middle East, Africa and, since 2003, Latin America. An Asian edition is based in Hong Kong...
.
Scullion joined the Sisters of Mercy
Sisters of Mercy
The Religious Order of the Sisters of Mercy is an order of Catholic women founded by Catherine McAuley in Dublin, Ireland, in 1831. , the order has about 10,000 members worldwide, organized into a number of independent congregations....
and began working on behalf of the homeless
Homelessness
Homelessness describes the condition of people without a regular dwelling. People who are homeless are unable or unwilling to acquire and maintain regular, safe, and adequate housing, or lack "fixed, regular, and adequate night-time residence." The legal definition of "homeless" varies from country...
in 1976. She has been involved in service work and advocacy for homeless and mentally ill persons since 1978. She was a co-founder in 1985 of Woman of Hope, which provides permanent residences and support services for homeless mentally ill women.
In 1988 she helped to found the Outreach Coordination Center, an innovative program coordinating private and public agencies doing outreach to chronically homeless persons in Center City Philadelphia. The following year she and her associate, Joan Dawson McConnon, co-founded Project H.O.M.E.
Project H.O.M.E.
Project H.O.M.E. is a nationally recognized 501 non-profit organization that provides housing, opportunities for employment, medical care and education to homeless and low-income persons in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.The mission of the Project H.O.M.E...
, a nationally recognized organization providing solutions to homelessness and poverty. She is an advocate for the homeless and mentally ill. Her efforts resulted in the right of homeless persons to vote as well as a landmark federal court decision that affects the fair housing rights of persons with disabilities.
Awards/honors/affiliations
Scullion has received numerous awards and honorary doctorates for her leadership in the City of Philadelphia. She was also awarded the Liberty Bell Award from the Philadelphia Bar Association, the Prudential National Nonprofit Leadership Award and the 1992 Philadelphia Award. In 2002, she was awarded an "Eisenhower Fellowship", and that same year, she and Ms. McConnon were national awardees of the Ford FoundationFord Foundation
The Ford Foundation is a private foundation incorporated in Michigan and based in New York City created to fund programs that were chartered in 1936 by Edsel Ford and Henry Ford....
's prestigious "Leadership for a Changing World Award".
She also serves on the Board of the The Jon Bon Jovi Soul Foundation
The Jon Bon Jovi Soul Foundation
Founded in 2006, Jon Bon Jovi Soul Foundation is a 501 non-profit organization that focuses their efforts on the issues surrounding homelessness in the United States. They work with non-profit organizations and community leaders to help establish programs and partnerships that provide the basic...
and of CeaseFire PA, and in 2010 she was appointed by Mayor Michael Nutter to serve on the City of Philadelphia's Board of Ethics.
Education
- Religious Training/Association, Congregation of the Sisters of Mercy, Merion, PennsylvaniaMerion, PennsylvaniaMerion Station is an unincorporated community in Lower Merion Township, Montgomery County, Pennsylvania, United States. It is contiguous to Philadelphia and is also bordered by Wynnewood, Narberth, and Bala Cynwyd...
, 1972 to the present - St. Joseph's University, Psychology (BA), 1976
- Temple UniversityTemple UniversityTemple University is a comprehensive public research university in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, United States. Originally founded in 1884 by Dr. Russell Conwell, Temple University is among the nation's largest providers of professional education and prepares the largest body of professional...
, School of Social Administration (MSW), 1986