Today, we introduce a few of the nominees who have already made New York a better place through their selfless actions and unflagging dedication.

The Rev. Francis Gasparik says he never had a vocation to be a priest.

Even so, he's managed to become one of the most dedicated clergymen in the city - creating a food pantry that feeds more than 900 families in Manhattan and rescuing a church from the brink of closure due to neglect.

"I wasn't sure the priesthood was for me," Gasparik said. "I just wanted to give it a try and get it out of my system. I figured I'd be out of there in a year."

That was 20 years ago, and the priesthood is still running strong in his system.

Gasparik transferred from East New York, Brooklyn, to St. John the Baptist Church in Manhattan 12 years ago, finding very few parishioners and a building in shambles.

"The ceiling was collapsing and it wasn't in a residential neighborhood, so there were no members, really," said Gasparik who, there and then, made it his personal mission to rescue St. John.

He scheduled programs and self-help groups. He opened a thrift store and used the funds for building repairs. He hit up foundations for contributions, and he eventually got parishioners to drop in on a regular basis.

With any extra funds he gathered, Gasparik strengthened food-pantry services in the parish for poor families he believed needed assistance.

"There are people that aren't homeless, but still hungry and just getting by," he said. "With the food pantry, people started to see good work, and they jumped on board, creating a community for the church."

One pantry volunteer, first-grade teacher Carol Siracusano, met Gasparik through regular Sunday trips her family took to St. John.

"He would stay after the Mass and we got to talking. I found him to be such a good role model," Siracusano said.

She's nominated Gasparik for The Post's Liberty Community medal because he "really cares about each and every person he speaks to.

"I realized what a caring man he is. He always has time to stop for problems and he's never running out the door," Siracusano said.