[Congressional Record Volume 149, Number 61 (Monday, April 28, 2003)]
[Senate]
[Page S5431]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




    GUADALUPE CENTER FOR DEDICATION TO IMPROVING THE LIFE OF LATINO 
                               COMMUNITY

 Mr. BOND. Mr. President, today I would like to commend the 
Guadalupe Center Inc. for their continued commitment to improving the 
life of Latinos throughout Kansas City, MO.
  The Guadalupe Center began as a volunteer school and well baby clinic 
for Mexican immigrants in Kansas City's Westside in 1919, becoming one 
of the Nation's first social service agencies for Latinos in the United 
States.
  Once working out of the rectory of Our Lady of Guadalupe Shrine on 
West 23rd Street, the Guadalupe Center now has nine buildings and has 
expanded to serve the entire Kansas City Metropolitan Latino community.
  Today, the Center provides a number of essential services and is a 
leading advocate for the Latino community.
  Health programs at the center include substance abuse, teen 
pregnancy, and HIV/AIDS education and counseling. The center's diligent 
work in reaching this disproportionately affected Latino population is 
to be congratulated and encouraged.
  Also, the center has had a great deal of success with increasing 
employment opportunities for the unemployed and underemployed in the 
Latino community. This success goes hand in hand with the center's 
constantly expanding education programs, which provide participants 
with a number of opportunities, including second language GED and job 
training skills.
  Beyond reaching adult and young adults, the center also works to 
expand opportunities for children through its Plaza de Ninos preschool, 
which prepares young Latino children for early school success and helps 
them with the necessary English language skills, while providing 
childcare for working parents.
  The Guadalupe Center's activities and services, which continue to 
grow in number and impact, serve as an example of the center's vision 
and dedication for the Latino community.
  The future of Kansas City and the quality of life for its residents, 
especially the Latino community, depends on the decisions and the 
investments made today. The Guadalupe Center had taken the lead in 
making these strategic investments in Kansas City's urban core. Their 
efforts have improved the lives of the Latino community's children and 
families and the effects will be felt for generations to come.
  I look forward to partnering with the Guadalupe Center in future 
investments in Kansas City's Latino community.

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