Founder of Exodus 3 Ministries to receive 2011 Daniel and Mary Lou Rubenstein Social Justice Award April 12

In honor of her tireless work advocating for women, Debra Person, founder and executive director of Exodus 3 Ministries (E3M), will receive the 2011 Daniel and Mary Lou Rubenstein Social Justice Award presented by Syracuse University’s School of Social Work in the College of Human Ecology. The award will be presented at a ceremony on Tuesday, April 12, at 7 p.m. in Maxwell Auditorium. The event is free and open to the public.

The event will feature a keynote address by Miss New York, Claire Buffie, an advocate for gay rights and same-sex marriage.

Person, a Syracuse-area native who earned a master of social work degree from SU, founded E3M, a not-for-profit, faith-based organization that offers homeless adult women in the Syracuse community spiritual support and assistance with basic needs. Currently, E3M’s major initiative is to open Exodus House, which is modeled after the City Mission of Schenectady/Family Life Center, offering women without shelter or support housing, food, clothing, life skills and other services that will help them become self reliant.

The annual Daniel and Mary Lou Rubenstein Social Justice Award was established in 1980 and recognizes a person who reflects the values of social justice in his or her professional and personal life. The award is given in honor of the late professor Daniel Rubenstein, a former faculty member in the School of Social Work, and his late wife, Mary Lou, a former school social worker.

In previous years, the award has recognized individuals from Mothers Against Gun Violence, the justice system, leaders in domestic violence prevention and other prominent social justice activists in the Syracuse community.

The event is sponsored by Social Workers United and the School of Social Work. RSVPs are requested by April 6 by contacting Jean Pellegrino at 443-5562 or jmpelleg@syr.edu.