[Congressional Record Volume 141, Number 161 (Wednesday, October 18, 1995)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Pages E1967-E1968]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                  CENTERFORCE 20TH ANNIVERSARY TRIBUTE

                                 ______


                          HON. LYNN C. WOOLSEY

                             of california

                    in the house of representatives

                      Wednesday, October 18, 1995

  Ms. WOOLSEY. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to pay tribute to Centerforce 
which is celebrating its 20th anniversary of service to hundreds of 
thousands of families all over California. This unique community-based 
organization provides both direct and indirect services to prison 
visitors including children and families of incarcerated parents at 29 
centers serving 34 State prisons and 1 youth facility. Over 350,000 
visitors benefit from this innovative program each year.
  Centerforce is the statewide extension of The House at San Quentin 
which was established by Seamus Kilty and supported by Catholic Social 
Services of Marin. It has continuously served prison visitors since 
1971. In 1975 Centerforce was envisioned to create a statewide network 
of visitor centers modeled after The House. Under the leadership of 
Maureen Fenlon, O.P., the first executive director, and with the 
cooperation of the local communities, visitor centers were established 
at each prison so that all families of prisoners could receive basic 
support services necessary to keep their family together. These 
services include transportation, child care, refreshments, crisis 
intervention, prison visitor advocacy, special education programs, 
summer camps for the children, and simply protection from inclement 
weather for the traveling families.
  Mr. Speaker, Centerforce is a national model of the collaboration we 
need between government, community organizations, and individuals to 
nurture and support the family unit especially at times of separation 
when they are more vulnerable. As we know, every prison inmate is a 
family member who will be returning to that family in the future. We 
all value the family as the most essential unit in our society. It 
takes just a short-term investment in these families, and especially in 
their children, to keep the family ties strong and thereby lowering the 
recidivism rate in the long term. I commend Centerforce for the major 
contribution it has made to the preservation of thousands of families 
throughout California and our country who have benefited from this 
visionary, compassionate, yet very down-to-earth program.

[[Page E 1968]]

  Although Centerforce is a statewide organization, I take pride in its 
accomplishments because it was created and is located in the 
congressional district I am privileged to represent.

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