[Congressional Record Volume 143, Number 74 (Tuesday, June 3, 1997)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E1098]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                        ADDRESSING HOMELESSNESS

                                 ______
                                 

                       HON. CONSTANCE A. MORELLA

                              of maryland

                    in the house of representatives

                         Tuesday, June 3, 1997

  Mrs. MORELLA. Mr. Speaker, on June 5, the fifth graders from Somerset 
Elementary School and the Montgomery County Coalition for the Homeless 
will present a symposium, ``Wake Up Montgomery County!'' It is with a 
great deal of pride that I honor this school, which has worked over the 
years to provide the homeless in Montgomery County with support and 
compassion. Led by the efforts of a remarkable fifth grade teacher, Ms. 
Vicky Fisk, every child that graduates from Somerset has a deep sense 
of community obligation and a better understanding of what it is like 
to spend the night on the street or in a shelter.
  Ms. Fisk has been working with Montgomery County homeless shelters 
for 10 years. I would like to relay to you some of the experiences her 
students have had, for the most part in their own words. Their fifth 
grade year begins by researching and then writing essays, reports and 
papers about the homeless.
  During our research, we learned that the main causes of homelessness 
are drugs, alcohol, mental illness and the working poor * * * Working 
poor means that they have a job, but it doesn't pay them enough to rent 
a place to live * * * Here is why you should not stop drug and alcohol 
education programs. If you did stop the programs the number of homeless 
will increase more than it does now every year.
  We have raised money to buy coats for the children at Helping Hands 
Shelter. We then went to classrooms and informed students what we were 
going to do for the homeless * * * We collected items from room to room 
for a month. We collected 1,200 items in a cart called ``The Caring 
Cart.'' After four weeks went by, our class went to shelters giving out 
what we have collected * * * Some of these items are toilet paper, 
laundry detergent, and deodorant * * * It really helped the homeless.
  Ms. Fisk's fifth grade does not stop there. They go on to challenge 
me and other Members of Congress to do more for the homeless. ``What 
have you done?'' they have asked me. ``If you have a big speech about 
this, people will listen. [The homeless] need your support. They are 
American citizens, just as important as anyone. Did you know that there 
are more than 2,000 homeless people in Montgomery County alone? The 
homeless need your help.''
  I could not say it better. I have learned from the youngsters in 
Somerset Elementary School and I know that whomever stops in at their 
school at 5811 Warwick Place between 7 and 8:30 p.m. on June 5 will be 
very inspired.

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