[Congressional Record Volume 142, Number 85 (Tuesday, June 11, 1996)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E1056]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




            IN HONOR OF CASA OTONAL ON ITS 20TH ANNIVERSARY

                                 ______


                          HON. ROSA L. DeLAURO

                             of connecticut

                    in the house of representatives

                         Tuesday, June 11, 1996

  Ms. DeLAURO. Mr. Speaker, on Tuesday, June 11, 1996, Casa Otonal will 
celebrate its 20th anniversary by honoring four of its founders. It is 
with great pleasure that I rise today to salute Casa Otonal and 
congratulate all those who have made this amazing organization 
possible.
  The original mission of Casa Otonal was to offer inner city youth an 
alternative to the streets by providing educational and other 
activities. It has since expanded its mission and now provides a very 
successful senior center, a housing complex and a community center, 
Casa Linda.
  Casa Otonal begun in 1974 at St. John the Evangelist Church. While 
still in the space at St. John's, Casa Otonal was designated a senior 
center and a nutrition center. This began Casa Otonal's mission of 
enabling senior citizens, particularly Hispanics, to maintain cultural 
ties and personal dignity and to remain self-sufficient. The Casa 
Otonal program continued to expand and identified one of the most 
important needs of the elderly, housing. In July 1986, an elderly 
housing complex with 105 units was completed. The result of this 
expansion is two distinct projects, the senior center and residential 
facility. The senior center provides social and recreational 
activities, the nutrition program and continues to reach out to all the 
elderly in the city of New Haven. Other programs for seniors include 
adult education, health services, transportation, cultural programs, 
and workshops.
  The Casa Linda community center offers a unique opportunity for the 
elderly and young people to interact and enjoy and learn from each 
other. Casa Linda opened in 1992 with the philosophy that the elderly 
could teach children past values, skills, and traditions. The center 
has been incredibly successful in encouraging this coming together of 
the generations.
  I am so pleased to join Casa Otonal in honoring its founders. Linda 
Kantor and Jim Vlock were instrumental in obtaining the Housing and 
Urban Development grant for Casa Otonal and saw the project through to 
its completion. Linda, in particular, has put her heart and soul, and a 
great deal of time and energy into Casa Otonal and Casa Linda. Using 
her own money and some private contributions, Linda purchased the 
property across from Casa Otonal for the construction of Casa Linda. 
She renovated the building with the help of volunteers.
  Casa Otonal is also honoring cofounder Joseph Odell and Patricia 
McCann Vissepo. Joseph, who spent 18 years working in urban ministry, 
was vital to the conception of the idea of a residential housing 
complex for Hispanic elderly. Patricia joined the board of Casa Otonal 
in 1984 as the complex was being constructed. She became board 
president in 1987 and in 1993 the board invited her to become the 
executive director of Casa Otonal.
  I am delighted to be able to offer my congratulations to all those 
involved with Casa Otonal and Casa Linda on the 20th anniversary. Both 
organizations are vital to the Hispanic community and foster a sense of 
family, history, culture, and tradition. The work of Casa Otonal and 
Casa Linda make the city of New Haven a richer, better place to live.

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