[Congressional Bills 110th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[S. Con. Res. 79 Introduced in Senate (IS)]







110th CONGRESS
  2d Session
S. CON. RES. 79

Congratulating and saluting Focus: HOPE on its 40th anniversary and for 
 its remarkable commitment and contributions to Detroit, the State of 
                    Michigan, and the United States.


_______________________________________________________________________


                   IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES

                              May 6, 2008

   Mr. Levin (for himself and Ms. Stabenow) submitted the following 
   concurrent resolution; which was referred to the Committee on the 
                               Judiciary

_______________________________________________________________________

                         CONCURRENT RESOLUTION


 
Congratulating and saluting Focus: HOPE on its 40th anniversary and for 
 its remarkable commitment and contributions to Detroit, the State of 
                    Michigan, and the United States.

Whereas Focus: HOPE began as a civil and human rights organization in 1968 in 
        the wake of the devastating Detroit riots, and was cofounded by the late 
        Father William T. Cunningham, a Roman Catholic priest, and Eleanor M. 
        Josaitis, a suburban housewife, who were inspired by the work of Dr. 
        Martin Luther King, Jr.;
Whereas Focus: HOPE is committed to bringing together people of all races, 
        faiths, and economic backgrounds to overcome injustice and build racial 
        harmony, and it has grown into one of the largest nonprofit 
        organizations in Michigan;
Whereas the Focus: HOPE mission statement reads, ``Recognizing the dignity and 
        beauty of every person, we pledge intelligent and practical action to 
        overcome racism, poverty and injustice. And to build a metropolitan 
        community where all people may live in freedom, harmony, trust, and 
        affection. Black and white, yellow, brown and red, from Detroit and its 
        suburbs of every economic status, national origin and religious 
        persuasion we join in this movement.'';
Whereas one of Focus: HOPE's early efforts was to support African-American and 
        female employees in a seminal class action suit against the American 
        Automobile Association (AAA), resulting in groundbreaking affirmative 
        action commitments made by AAA;
Whereas Focus: HOPE helped to conceive and develop the Department of 
        Agriculture's Commodity Supplemental Food Program, which has been 
        replicated in more than 32 States, and through this program, Focus: HOPE 
        helps to feed approximately 41,000 people per month throughout southeast 
        Michigan;
Whereas Focus: HOPE has revitalized several city blocks in central Detroit by 
        redeveloping obsolete industrial buildings, beautifying and landscaping 
        Oakman Boulevard, creating pocket parks, and rehabilitating homes in the 
        surrounding areas;
Whereas, since 1981, Focus: HOPE's Machinist Training Institute has been 
        training individuals from Detroit and surrounding areas in careers in 
        advanced manufacturing and precision machining and has produced nearly 
        2,300 certified graduates, providing an opportunity for minority youth, 
        women, and others who are often underrepresented in such careers to gain 
        access to the financial mainstream and learn in-demand skills;
Whereas Focus: HOPE has recognized that manufacturing and information 
        technologies are key to the economic growth and security of Michigan and 
        the United States, and is committed to designing programs to encourage 
        the participation of underrepresented urban individuals in those 
        critical sectors;
Whereas, in 1982, Focus: HOPE initiated a for-profit subsidiary for community 
        economic development purposes and is now designated with Federal HUBZone 
        status (as defined in section 3(p) of the Small Business Act (15 U.S.C. 
        632(p));
Whereas Focus: HOPE created Fast Track, a pioneering skill-enhancing program 
        designed to help individuals improve their reading and math competencies 
        by a minimum of 2 grade levels in 4 to 7 weeks;
Whereas Focus: HOPE's training and education programs have moved more than 9,600 
        individuals out into the workforce since the inception of those programs 
        and have job placement rates significantly above the national average;
Whereas, in 1987, Focus: HOPE reclaimed and renovated an abandoned building and 
        opened it as the Focus: HOPE Center for Children, which now has served 
        nearly 6,000 children of colleagues, students, and neighbors with 
        quality child care, including latchkey, summer camp, early childhood 
        education, and other educational services;
Whereas Focus: HOPE, through an unprecedented cooperative agreement between the 
        Departments of Defense, Commerce, Education, and Labor, established a 
        national demonstration project, the Center for Advanced Technologies, 
        which integrates hands-on manufacturing training and academic learning 
        and educates advanced manufacturing engineers and technologists at 
        internationally competitive levels;
Whereas Focus: HOPE partnered with 5 universities and 6 industry partners, 
        formerly known as the Greenfield Coalition, to design a unique 21st 
        century curriculum that resulted in students receiving associate's 
        degrees in manufacturing technologies from Lawrence Technological 
        University, or bachelor's degrees in engineering technology or 
        manufacturing engineering from Wayne State University or the University 
        of Detroit Mercy, respectively;
Whereas, due to the unique educational pedagogy at Focus: HOPE's Center for 
        Advanced Technologies, the starting salary of its graduates is higher 
        than the national average of graduates with the same degree from other 
        universities;
Whereas Focus: HOPE has made outstanding contributions in increasing diversity 
        within the traditionally homogenous science, math, engineering, and 
        technology fields, 95 percent of currently enrolled degree candidates 
        are African-American, and the Center for Advanced Technologies is one of 
        the top programs in the United States for graduating minorities with 
        bachelor's degrees in manufacturing engineering;
Whereas Focus: HOPE's unique partnership with the Department of Defense has 
        resulted in several research and development projects, including a 
        nationally recognized demonstration project, the Mobile Parts Hospital, 
        whose Rapid Manufacturing System has been deployed to Kuwait in support 
        of the Armed Forces' operations in Afghanistan, Kuwait, and Iraq;
Whereas, in 1995, Focus: HOPE began a community arts program to present 
        multicultural arts programming and gallery exhibitions designated to 
        educate and encourage area residents, while fostering integration in a 
        culturally diverse metropolitan community, and more than 70,000 people 
        have viewed sponsored exhibits or participated in the program;
Whereas, in 1999, Focus: HOPE established an Informational Technologies Center 
        to provide Detroit students with industry-certified training programs in 
        network administration, network installation, and desktop and server 
        administration, and has graduated nearly 800 students, and initiated, in 
        collaboration with industry and academia, the design of a new bachelor's 
        degree program to educate information management systems engineers;
Whereas, in 2006, the State of Michigan designated Focus: HOPE's campus and the 
        surrounding community a ``Cool Cities'' neighborhood;
Whereas the Secretary of Labor presented Focus: HOPE with an Exemplary Public 
        Interest Contribution Award in recognition of its success in opening 
        employment opportunities for minorities and women;
Whereas the Village of Oakman Manor, a 55-unit senior citizen apartment building 
        sponsored by the Presbyterian Village of Michigan in collaboration with 
        Focus: HOPE, opened in 2006 near the Focus: HOPE campus as the first new 
        construction in the area in more than 50 years;
Whereas Focus: HOPE's initiatives and programs have been nationally recognized 
        for excellence and leadership by such entities as the Government 
        Accountability Office, the Department of Labor, the International 
        Standards Organization, the National Science Foundation, the Cisco 
        Networking Academy Program, Fortune magazine, Forbes magazine, and the 
        Aspen Institute;
Whereas former Presidents George H.W. Bush and William Jefferson Clinton have 
        visited Focus: HOPE's campus;
Whereas Focus: HOPE's cofounder Eleanor M. Josaitis received honorary degrees 
        from 13 outstanding universities and colleges, was named one of the 100 
        Most Influential Women in 2002 by Crain's Detroit Business, was inducted 
        into the Michigan Women's Hall of Fame, received the Detroit NAACP 
        Presidential Award, the Arab American Institute Foundation's Kahlil 
        Gibran Spirit of Humanity Award, the Michigan Chamber of Commerce Award 
        for Distinguished Service and Leadership, and the Dr. Charles H. Wright 
        Award for Excellence in Community Activism, the Caring Institute's 
        National Caring Award, and the Clara Barton Ambassador Award from the 
        American Red Cross, as well as many other awards;
Whereas, through generous partnerships with and the support of individuals from 
        all walks of life, the Federal, State, and local governments, and 
        foundations and corporations across the United States, the vision of 
        Focus: HOPE will continue to grow and inspire;
Whereas Focus: HOPE has been fortunate enough to have an active board of 
        directors and advisory board from the most senior levels of corporations 
        and public entities in the United States and has benefitted from 
        thousands of volunteers and supporters;
Whereas Focus: HOPE has been a tremendous force for good in the city of Detroit, 
        the State of Michigan, and in the United States for the past 40 years;
Whereas Focus: HOPE continues to strive to eliminate racism, poverty, and 
        injustice through the use of passion, persistence, and partnerships, and 
        continues to seek improvements in its quality of service and program 
        operations; and
Whereas Focus: HOPE and its colleagues will continue to identify ways in which 
        it can lead Detroit, the State of Michigan, and the United States into 
        the future with creative urban leadership initiatives: Now, therefore, 
        be it
    Resolved by the Senate (the House of Representatives concurring), 
That Congress--
            (1) congratulates and salutes Focus: HOPE for its 
        remarkable commitment and contributions to Detroit, the State 
        of Michigan, and the United States; and
            (2) directs the Secretary of the Senate to transmit an 
        enrolled copy of this resolution to Focus: HOPE for appropriate 
        display.
                                 <all>