Yale Bulletin and Calendar

April 14, 2000

Volume 28, Number 28

'Visionary' student wins award
for his work with homeless people

A Yale senior recently named one of five recipients of the 2000 Howard R. Swearer Student Humanitarian Award for his commitment to community service, says the award gives homeless people a reason to be "quietly proud."

Gregory Duff Morton, of Riverside, California, was honored during the opening session of the national Youth Leadership Council's national conference in Providence, Rhode Island, for his work in understanding and improving the lives of disadvantaged members of the New Haven community. His concern for the well-being of others and his desire to make positive changes in the local community led him to create a program called Outreach in the fall of 1998. Through Outreach, Morton helped train Yale students to serve the needs of the homeless population, connecting people with shelters and food as well as with drug rehabilitation and job programs.

Morton's long-term commitment to improving conditions in New Haven led President Richard C. Levin, who nominated Morton for the award, to describe him as "both visionary and someone who rolls his sleeves up and goes to work." He added that Morton is an inspiration to members of the Yale and New Haven communities.

"The Swearer Award thrills me, because I believe that it honors a community of people who are homeless and people who go to Yale," says Morton. "Members of this community have acted together to create social change, beginning with their own lives and in particular with their personal relationships. A friend of mine who was homeless used to tell me, 'Don't be sorry, be quietly proud.' She died outside this winter, but I think this award gives her and everyone else involved reason to be very 'quietly proud'."

Concerned that Outreach was not adequately addressing the needs of the homeless population, Morton worked with members of the homeless community to expand Outreach into Harmony Place, a community center run jointly by Yale students and homeless people, which meets basic needs for food, clothing and shelter, and advocates for structural change.

A Latin American studies major, Morton has also worked with homeless children in Mexico City. He plans to stay in New Haven next year to continue his work with homeless individuals, but then hopes to return to Mexico City to continue his work with poor communities there.

Morton's award honors the life and work of Howard R. Swearer, the 15th president of Brown University. It is presented annually by Campus Compact, a national coalition of more than 660 college and university presidents who are committed to making community service an integral part of undergraduate education. Each award includes a $1,500 contribution to a community service project.

-- By Thomas Violante

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Award-winning novelist discusses the art of writing and reading

Leonard S. Doob, a specialist on ways of resolving conflict, dies

'Visionary' student wins award for his work with homeless people

Neurologist Fuki Hisama is honored for her research on aging syndrome

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