Meritorious Service Cross
- Awarded on: April 4, 2018
- Invested on: December 07, 2023
Sam J. Tsemberis, M.S.C.
Montclair, New Jersey, United States of America
Canadian Sam Tsemberis founded Pathways to Housing in New York in 1992, and pioneered its Housing First strategy for tackling chronic homelessness. Based on the notion that people cope better with mental health challenges, substance use disorders and other problems if they are first given permanent housing, his approach has been implemented in over 300 cities worldwide and given thousands the dignity of a place to call home.