A Winnipeg doctor who volunteers his time to care for Winnipeg's homeless has been named the winner of a prestigious award.

Dr. Neil Craton, a sports medicine consultant at Legacy Sport Medicine in Winnipeg and long-time volunteer at Siloam Mission, has been named the 2020 recipient of the Dr. Jack Armstrong Humanitarian Award.

The award is presented annually by Doctors Manitoba to a physician who has made outstanding contributions in serving humanity in Canada or abroad. It is given each year in honour of Dr. Jack Armstrong, who was himself a doctor and humanitarian from Manitoba.

Craton was nominated for the award by his colleague Dr. Fred Aoki for the work Craton has done to-date at Siloam Mission.

. The people who have no clothes, no home, no food.

"I think it's our highest calling in that we serve others," Craton says. "At Siloam there's lots of service to be done."

The award, Craton says, is something he only will accept on behalf of all the staff and volunteers serving Winnipegger's at Siloam.

Siloam Mission would like to congratulate Dr. Neil Craton! He is the 2020 recipient of the Dr. Jack Armstrong...

Posted by Siloam Mission on Tuesday, May 12, 2020

"The award has to be given to all the folks who volunteer there ... I really only accepted it on behalf of all of them," Craton says.

While the ceremony where Craton is to be formally presented with the award has been cancelled at this time due to COVID-19 concerns and social-distancing requirements, the doctor wants to ensure all of his fellow medical professionals who volunteer their time are recognized for the work they do.