Daniel, who manages the iconic Missionbeat service that supports homeless people in the inner-city, was selected by a panel of 40 judges after being recommended by members of the community – including his Twitter followers.
Daniel said he was honoured to be selected for the category of Community People. “It was quite difficult to keep this information to myself,” said Daniel.
On Monday night he attended a celebration with his fellow ‘Influential People’, including scientists, lawyers, astronomers, software developers, people from the hospitality field, media personalities and politicians.
“I was amazed and humbled by how many people wanted to talk about Mission Australia and how many people wanted to come out and see how we assist homeless and disadvantaged people on the streets of Sydney,” Daniel said.
Since joining Twitter two years ago, Daniel has built up a following of more than 1,000 people who follow his daily tweets.
“Through Twitter I have had contacts with lots of people that have become involved with our service, through fundraising activities, service visits, or who have even become ambassadors for Mission Australia,” Daniel said.
“I regularly receive responses to my tweets from politicians, celebrities, sports stars and also wonderful everyday people.”
You can follow Daniel on www.twitter.com/DanMISSIONBEAT and read more about his work in the new issue of the (sydney) magazine, which is available today in Sydney metro newsagencies and to subscribers of The Sydney Morning Herald in New South Wales.
Extract from today's article:
As a police officer in the inner west, Daniel Petsalis's involvement with the homeless and disadvantaged was often limited to arresting them. That changed eight years ago when he became Missionbeat's manager of Homeless Support Services, running the crisis vans that transport those sleeping rough to safe accommodation and medical care. "I was in a position to help the same group longer term," he says.
"To delve into their lives." In the past two years, Petsalis, 34, has become a crucial player in The Michael Project, which is making mobile, streetbased medical services such as occupational therapy and outreach nursing possible, thanks to a $5 million donation Preliminary data from the project will help provide the organisation with evidencebased research they've lacked to help both homeless service provision and lobbying efforts.
In 2010, part two of the project started in Parramatta. "We have the first 28 clients ready to go into permanent accommodation," says Petsalis
"You can't explain the look on someone's face when they get house keys for the first time."
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