Michael Sullivan, PhD, is recognized with this APA Citizen Psychologist Presidential Citation as an exemplar of sustained activities in his community and across the lifespan.
From his time volunteering in the Peace Corps and later doing alternative civilian service as a conscientious objector in the 1960's to his current volunteerism 50 years later, Sullivan brings the same passion and commitment to his community as he did in his many years of service to the State Advocacy Office in the APA Practice Directorate. Sullivan has dedicated many volunteer hours to the Meals on Wheels program within Senior Resources, Inc. in support of improving the lives of seniors in Columbia, South Carolina. He initiated a volunteer recognition initiative within this program to ensure that those who cared for others are also cared for.
Sullivan also applies his psychology advocacy skills as a spokesperson for the Meals on Wheels program addressing the benefits of community engagement for volunteers. He sees volunteerism as a noble calling which provides him meaning and purpose in retirement by giving back to his community. By providing meals to homebound and disabled citizens in the Richland County area of South Carolina, Sullivan appreciates the importance of enabling seniors to live at home rather than in an institution and how human interaction and wellness checks are equally as important to ensuring the safety and well-being of seniors.
Sullivan volunteers in other capacities in his community to include his work at Howlmore Animal Sanctuary exercising special-needs dogs and teaching line dancing with his wife through various local organizations, including a local homeless shelter. His church has also recognized Sullivan for his leadership, social justice and social action work.