Who are your heroes?

For more than 40 years, presidents have presented the Citizens Medal to Americans who have performed extraordinary acts of service for their country or their fellow citizens.

Now we're looking to honor a new group of heroes, and we need your help.

Take a moment to nominate Americans who have performed exemplary deeds of service outside of their regular jobs and who have provided inspiration for others to serve.

You can view the full criteria and get started on a nomination here:

These individuals come from different backgrounds, and they've devoted their lives to different causes, but they're united by a commitment to selflessness. They've each devoted their lives to helping others. And the 2012 Citizens Medal is a chance to highlight these everyday heroes for all they do.

Here are a few examples of Citizens Medal recipients from last year:

• Ida Martin created an organization to help working families, disabled residents, and senior citizens in South Carolina who had suffered a financial crisis.
  
• John Keaveney, who fought in Vietnam, founded New Directions -- a home for homeless and disabled veterans with addiction and mental health problems.
  
• Margaret Martin founded the Harmony Project to make quality arts education available to those in some of the most underserved parts of Los Angeles, California.

Each of them is a testament to the impact that a single individual can have on his or her community and on the world.

If you know someone like Ida, John, or Margaret, please take a moment to nominate them for the 2012 Citizens Medal before April 24:

http://www.whitehouse.gov/citizensmedal

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