[Congressional Record Volume 147, Number 59 (Thursday, May 3, 2001)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E719]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                         HONORING NANCY ATKINS

                                 ______
                                 

                           HON. MARCY KAPTUR

                                of ohio

                    in the house of representatives

                         Thursday, May 3, 2001

  Ms. KAPTUR. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to recognize the career of 
service of Nancy Atkins from Toledo, Ohio. Nancy is retiring on May 1, 
2001 after twenty years at the helm of Toledo Metropolitan Mission 
(TMM), a faith-based agency dedicated to uplifting the underserved. 
Concurrently, she led the metro Toledo Churches United (MeTCU) for the 
past fifteen of those years. The last ten years also found her leading 
these organizations' umbrella agency, Toledo Ecumenical Area 
Ministries.
  Thomas Paine said, ``I believe that religious duties consist in doing 
justice, loving mercy, and endeavoring to make our fellow creatures 
happy.'' This sentiment has been the guiding principle behind these 
organizations' development under Nancy's ever-present leadership. 
Nancy's leadership positioned TMM as the strongest advocate for the 
weakest among us, influencing or developing programs for poor people, 
children, struggling women, homeless people, and older people. TMM has 
weighed in heavily on issues affecting these disaffected groups of 
people, from housing to health care to the impact of welfare reform. 
TMM and MeTCU are respected as voices of true compassion, never 
forgetting Christ's admonition, ``Whatever you do to the least of my 
brethren, that you do unto me.'' Nancy has empowered TMM to lead the 
charge for the rights of those most vulnerable and yet ignored. Her 
guidance saw TMM develop more than a dozen programs to address those 
rights, forged coalitions of agencies committed to those rights, and 
nurtured in many the growth of self-advocacy for those rights.
  A member of more than fifteen community, social justice, and inter-
religious organizations, Nancy Atkins has galvanized the role of TMM in 
bringing the rights of all to the table and ensuring that no one is 
left out of the discussion. She has fostered a spirit of cooperation 
while working together toward common goals and practical solutions. 
Truly, her contribution to the success of TMM and its mission cannot be 
underestimated.
  Mindful of Dr. Martin Luther King's creed that ``Injustice anywhere 
is a threat to justice everywhere'' Nancy Atkins' leadership these past 
two decades has been the embodiment of social justice. If the measure 
of a person is her legacy, then Nancy Atkins' legacy thus far is beyond 
measure. Her daily presence at TMM will be sorely missed, but her 
imprimatur is there, it will not fade. She will remain a vibrant 
contributor to its mission for she will always be a part of our 
community. We wish her well in retirement, and hope she is able to 
spend time doing all those things she most enjoys.

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