[Congressional Record Volume 141, Number 86 (Tuesday, May 23, 1995)]
[House]
[Page H5382]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]


                        SHARING AND CARING HANDS

  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Under the Speaker's announced policy of May 
12, 1995, the gentleman from Minnesota [Mr. Ramstad] is recognized 
during morning business for 5 minutes.
  Mr. RAMSTAD. Mr. Speaker, yesterday I attended a truly memorable 
event in Minnesota. It was the dedication of Mary's Place. And at that 
dedication, I saw love and compassion up close. Mary's Place is a 
transitional housing facility built through the vision and the 
persistence of Mary Jo Copeland, Minnesota's Mother Teresa. Mary's 
Place is a shining example of how we can use nongovernmental private 
solutions to solve the problems facing our country.
  This was a $7.2 million transitional shelter, 200 beds for homeless 
people, $7.2 million all raised through private businesses, 
individuals, and churches, not one penny of government money.
  Mr. Speaker, last month I saw firsthand why Mary Jo Copeland is 
Minnesota's Mother Teresa. I was touring the new facility before it was 
open, and I watched Mary Joe interrupt that tour to go across the 
street to greet a homeless family, a young mother and her three little 
children. And that family was forced to leave their home after her 
husband beat her and to watch Mary Joe hug those bewildered, broken 
children brought tears to my eyes. Everyone who has been to Sharing and 
Caring Hands, all of the volunteers, every one who goes there daily to 
assist other people have seen that same kind of love and compassion 
firsthand.
  Yesterday we celebrated several things, Mr. Speaker. As I mentioned, 
we dedicated the $7.2 million facility. We also celebrated 10 years of 
love and compassion and concern like that I just explained.
  Let me tell you a little bit about Sharing and Caring Hands, because 
I believe we need to replicate this wonderful organization throughout 
our great country. This organization, Sharing and Caring Hands, was 
founded in 1985 as a safety net organization to assist those who are 
not getting help from the welfare system. Each and every month, Mr. 
Speaker, 12,000 people, 12,000 homeless, hurting people are assisted 
through a food shelf, meals, clothing, showers, dental care, medical 
help, eye glasses, transportation, Alcoholics Anonymous meetings, and 
school tutoring for children. These services are all provided by 
hundreds of volunteers and private contributions, again, not one penny 
of taxpayer money.
  Over $150,000, therefore, each month, all of the funds raised by 
Sharing and Caring Hands, goes directly to the recipients. Nobody take 
a salary. Mary Jo works 14 or 15 hours each and every day. No salary, 
strictly volunteer work. As Mary Jo puts it, a labor of love.
  Mr. Speaker, we need to focus national attention on this model 
organization. Mary Jo Copeland and her volunteers at Sharing and Caring 
Hands have taught and are teaching America a lot about caring and about 
sharing, about true compassion.
  Mr. Speaker, I believe this project should serve as a model and a 
beacon of hope, a beacon for those of us who are dedicated to the 
principle that each of us can make a difference in the lives of other 
people through volunteerism and commitment. As we all know, there has 
been much focus here in Congress about ways to strengthen the family. 
Everyone agrees that the breakdown of families has provided a whole new 
range of social problems.
  What Mary Jo Copeland and everyone at Sharing and Caring Hands have 
done, Mr. Speaker, is to create a kind of sharing, caring, 
compassionate, and concerned family. Sharing and Caring Hands is truly 
that for so many people.
  It is a very special family that is taking in new brothers and 
sisters each and every day. Yesterday we dedicated a new family home, 
Mary's Place, a place where people know they can find comfort, they can 
find love. They can find a safe haven. They can find support that you 
would find that we are able to find in the majority of American 
families. So while the debate rages here in Congress on how best to 
provide the resources necessary for people to become more self-
sufficient, Sharing and Caring Hands is already here showing us how, 
without bureaucratic strings and without taxpayer dollars, people can 
make a real difference in the lives of those less fortunate, in the 
lives of people who are hurting.
  Now, Mr. Speaker, we need to replicate Sharing and Caring Hands 
throughout the United States. Mary Jo Copeland's vision can make a 
difference in your communities and States just like Sharing and Caring 
Hands is making a real difference in the lives of real people in the 
twin cities of Minnesota.
  Mr. Speaker, I take my hat off to Mary Jo Copeland and all of her 
volunteers for what they are doing in Minnesota. We are very, very 
proud of them and grateful for them.

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