Recognition for the Work of Our Hearts to Your Soles

Jefferson Award for Public Service
April 2010
Presented by the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette
Founded by Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis, U.S. Senator Robert Taft Jr., and Sam Beard in 1972, the Jefferson Award honors those people who have served their communities through public service. The awards are given out at the national and local levels. In Pittsburgh, the Post-Gazette recognizes the contributions of local volunteers each week through the Jefferson Award program. Community leaders then choose 50 Jefferson Award winners from those nominated by the newspaper. From these 50 people, six are named as finalists for the Pittsburgh region's Most Outstanding Volunteer award. Dr. Stephen Conti was honored as one of the six finalists for the Most Outstanding Volunteer award for his dedication to providing free shoes and socks, free foot examinations, and other health care services to the poor in the Pittsburgh area through Our Hearts to Your Soles. He was honored at a reception on April 21, 2010.

Caritas Award for Service
May 2009
Presented by the Catholic Charities of Pittsburgh 
Caritas is Latin for "love" or "charity" and is the name of the annual award given out by regional agencies within Catholic Charities, a national network of social service organizations, "in recognition of outstanding service and love for humanity." The Diocese of Pittsburgh awarded the Caritas Award for Service to Matthew and Laura Conti for their work with the founding and expansion of health care services including free medical screenings and free footwear to the homeless through Our Hearts to Your Soles. They were honored at a banquet on May 15, 2009 at which the bishop of the Diocese of Pittsburgh, Bishop Zubick, presented them with the award.