[Congressional Record Volume 140, Number 146 (Saturday, October 8, 1994)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Printing Office [www.gpo.gov]


[Congressional Record: October 8, 1994]
From the Congressional Record Online via GPO Access [wais.access.gpo.gov]

 
         PARCA'S RAJI HOUSE: A QUALITY CHILDREN'S RESPITE HOUSE

                                 ______


                            HON. TOM LANTOS

                             of california

                    in the house of representatives

                        Friday, October 7, 1994

  Mr. LANTOS. Mr. Speaker, I rise today in recognition of the efforts 
of the organization known as PARCA, or the Peninsula Association for 
Retarded Children and Adults. For years, PARCA has been a vital and 
integral part of the community of the San Francisco Bay area.
  Now, with a generous donation from Umang and Ruth Gupta, the group 
home located at 1401 Palm Drive in Burlingame, CA, is undergoing 
extensive renovations and is due to open October 14. Once completed, 
this facility will be the first of its kind in operation in San Mateo 
County.
  The Raji House will provide respite care on the weekends for 
developmentally disabled children. Twenty-four hour weekend care will 
be provided, offering three to thirteen children to one counselor--
supervision and quality care. Their intention is to eventually expand 
operations to 7 days a week.
  Raji House aims to provide a structured yet relaxed, nonpressured, 
social atmosphere offering children an enjoyable supervised experience. 
It will provide indoor and outdoor therapeutic recreational, social, 
leisure, and educational activities. Indoor activities will be geared 
toward providing opportunities for individual play and group 
interaction. Outdoor activities will provide children with exercise, 
community integration, and opportunities for social interaction.
  Community outings and local community resources are an important part 
of the Raji House respite program, and will be a regular part of the 
children's stay at Raji House. Depending on the age and developmental 
level of the children, they will be integrated into the community at 
large on each weekday, and activities will be provided in a natural 
setting.
  Raji House owes a great deal to Umang and Ruth Gupta who donated $1 
million for its renovation and operational expenses for the next 20 
years.
  Umang and Ruth Gupta were parents of a developmentally delayed child, 
Rajan Frances Gupta (Raji), for whom the house was named. Raji was born 
on October 24,1984, with profound mental retardation and severe 
infantile spasms--seizures. He lived for 2\1/2\ years until March 
17,1987, and brought a great deal of love and joy into the Gupta 
family. The Gupta family persevered through this difficult period with 
the help of various community organization. One such organization was 
PARCA, whose Board of Directors Umang later joined. The Guptas feel a 
profound gratitude to the community which helped support them and the 
needs of other developmentally delayed children and their families.
  In PARCA's annual community surveys, a quality respite home scores on 
the top of the list of community needs. The people of the county of San 
Mateo are indebted to the generosity of the Guptas for setting up Raji 
House. The Guptas serve as an inspiration to all who seek to increase 
the quality of life of the communities in which they live.

                          ____________________