[Congressional Record Volume 143, Number 140 (Thursday, October 9, 1997)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E2001]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                         TRIBUTE TO CHLOE CONEY

                                 ______
                                 

                             HON. JIM DAVIS

                               of florida

                    in the house of representatives

                       Thursday, October 9, 1997

  Mr. DAVIS of Florida. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor Chloe Coney, 
a constituent of mine from Tampa, FL, who has been selected as one of 
eight national award winners for the Ameritech Awards of Excellence in 
Crime Prevention. This recognition is a fitting tribute to her tireless 
efforts over the past decade in developing a comprehensive and 
collaborative plan to revitalize low-income areas of east Tampa. I 
applaud the National Crime Prevention Council and Ameritech for 
honoring Ms. Coney's dedication.
  Ms. Coney grew up in Tampa's North Boulevard Public Housing Project 
and her personal experiences in this economically disadvantaged area 
have given her great insight into the needs and opportunities of 
citizens living in east Tampa. She began her career of service as a 
parole officer and counselor where she implemented conflict resolution 
strategies in the Citizen's Dispute Settlement Programs for the 
Thirteenth Judicial Court.
  Currently, Ms. Coney is the executive director of the Corporation to 
Develop Communities of Tampa [CDCT]. This community-based nonprofit 
organization plans, promotes, and assists the redevelopment of the east 
Tampa area through a wide range of programs including community 
building, youth leadership, family stabilization, and economic 
development. Her efforts should serve as a model for comprehensive and 
collaborative approaches to community-based crime prevention 
initiatives. Ms. Coney recognized early on that creating a safe and 
secure environment in east Tampa requires a multifaceted approach 
focusing not only on community policing but also on strengthening 
families, developing youth leadership, and creating economic 
opportunity.
  One of Ms. Coney's successful programs is the CDCT's Men II Boys 
Mentoring Program which pairs 100 at-risk African-American youth, ages 
11-14, with responsible adult men. These adults are willing to share 
their experiences and serve as role models, nurturing the healthy 
development of these youth into men. Ms. Coney has also created 
constructive programs such as the Inner-City Boys Choir, a medical 
apprenticeship program, a substance abuse prevention program entitled 
Striving To Achieve Rewarding Tomorrows [START], and Saturday Academy 
which improves the academic and social skills of at-risk seventh 
graders.
  These programs can be successful only if strong family support exists 
to back them up. Ms. Coney recognizes this and established an annual 
Parent Enhancement Conference to educate parents on ways to better 
support their children's development. In addition, she offers workshops 
twice a month for parents and launched the East Tampa School-Community 
Partnership which is a network of social service agencies, school 
representatives, and parents.
  Finally, recognizing that these efforts to build up our youth must be 
coupled with opportunities for the future, Ms. Coney has dedicated much 
of the CDCT's efforts toward economic development. This year, the 
Nehemiah Project has focused on ``community building brick by brick,'' 
with the goal of stimulating commercial development and transforming 
abandoned buildings. These efforts represent a commitment to matching 
increased educational opportunities with increased job opportunities.
  This short tribute cannot begin to describe Ms. Coney's outstanding 
efforts in redeveloping and revitalizing east Tampa and providing a 
safer community for citizens of all ages. Her impact on individuals, 
families, and communities is immeasurable. Therefore, I would ask my 
colleagues to join me in congratulating Ms. Coney for her hard work and 
dedication in developing strategies for successful crime prevention and 
to thank all those individuals like her throughout America who have 
dedicated their lives to service in their communities.

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