[Congressional Record Volume 146, Number 68 (Tuesday, June 6, 2000)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Pages E891-E892]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




        THE RESURRECTION PROJECT CELEBRATES ITS 10TH ANNIVERSARY

                                 ______
                                 

                         HON. LUIS V. GUTIERREZ

                              of illinois

                    in the house of representatives

                         Tuesday, June 6, 2000

  Mr. GUTIERREZ. Mr. Speaker, it is a great privilege for me to pay 
tribute to the Resurrection Project (TRP) for its invaluable work 
creating healthy communities on the occasion of its 10th anniversary.
  Founded on May 22, 1990 by a coalition of Pilsen churches, The 
Resurrection Project is an institution-based neighborhood organization 
whose mission is to build relationships and challenge people to act on 
their faith and values to create healthy communities through 
organizing, education and community development.
  The Resurrection Project provides assistance through community 
organizing, family programs, housing services, real estate development, 
asset management and workforce and business development.
  The Resurrection Project builds institutional power and develops new 
leadership by organizing through its member institutions and block club 
network. TRP prepares leaders to actively participate in the issues 
affecting their community. TRP's Family and Community Programs respond 
to the developmental needs of children, adults and families by building 
upon their values and culture. Each program works to build skills and 
create opportunities that promote stronger families. TRP programs 
include Esperanza Familiar (Family Hope), Supportive Housing Programs 
and the Centro Familiar Guadalupano (Guadalupano Family Center). The 
Housing Services division educates families on property ownership 
issues and facilitates investment by residents and financial 
institutions into the community.
  TRP staff provides home owner education, client counseling and 
oversees the marketing and sales for its New Homes program. The 
Resurrection Project also develops and renovates community-owned real 
estate in a sustainable, affordable manner. TRP undertakes the property 
acquisition, financial packaging and construction management for its 
rental housing and commercial developments. TRP also oversees the 
physical, financial and tenant management of all its properties, 
ensuring the long term sustainability of the organization's real estate 
projects. TRP is developing the economic capacity of community 
residents through an innovative approach to workforce and business 
development. The Resurrection Construction Cooperative provides 
entrepreneurial assistance to new and emerging construction related 
businesses. The Resurrection Loan Fund provides working capital loans 
up to one-hundred thousand dollars to these businesses. The 
Resurrection Employment program offers comprehensive support to 
individuals seeking better employment. Staff provides support on an 
individual basis, assessing skills and guiding participants through the 
job-seeking process.
  Resurrection Project's exceptional work for our community has been 
recognized with awards such as the LaSalle Bank's Tom Gobby Community 
Leadership Award, BP Amoco Foundation's BP Amoco Leader Award for job 
creation, Bank of America's Community Impact Award and Fannie Mae 
Foundation's Maxwell Award of Excellence for the Production of Low 
Income Housing.
  Some of TRPs accomplishments include building 112 new homes for low 
and moderate income families, developing a new daycare and after school 
care center for 208 children, assisting 32 local contractors to begin, 
develop and expand their own construction businesses, creating a 
bilingual second stage housing program for homeless single mothers and 
generating more than twenty-five million dollars in community 
investment.
  I have witnessed the many positive accomplishments of the 
Resurrection Project throughout my community. The organization's hard 
work, commitment and dedication is invaluable to the people I serve. I 
commend the Resurrection Project for ten years of building affordable 
new homes and rental housing, helping businesses grow, challenging 
community residents to become leaders and strengthening families 
through the development of new child care centers.

[[Page E892]]



                          ____________________