[Congressional Record Volume 149, Number 158 (Tuesday, November 4, 2003)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Pages E2222-E2223]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                          NATIONAL FAMILY WEEK

                                 ______
                                 

                      HON. SANFORD D. BISHOP, JR.

                               of georgia

                    in the house of representatives

                       Tuesday, November 4, 2003

  Mr. BISHOP of Georgia. Mr. Speaker, today I would like to recognize 
National Family Week and the importance of strong families to the 
future of our communities and our country.
  The purpose of National Family Week, November 23-29, 2003, is to 
recognize that Connections Count when it comes to strengthening 
families and communities. Strong families are at the center of strong 
communities. Everyone has a role to play in making families successful, 
including neighborhood organizations, businesses, nonprofits, 
policymakers, and of course families themselves.
  Families thrive when they are connected to the opportunities, 
networks, support, and services that enable them to succeed. This 
includes everyday access to high-quality transportation, technology, 
education, and child care; opportunities to build a solid financial 
foundation; and positive social relationships within and among 
families, as well as quality support from community networks and 
institutions.
  National Family Week is a great time to honor the connections that 
support and strengthen families year-round. These connections can be as 
simple as the grandmother or the neighbor who watches the kids while 
parents work; the network of friends or the placement center that 
connects parents to a new job; the place of worship or neighborhood 
organization that connects the family to others in the community, the 
community leader or policymaker who rethinks, revamps, or redirects 
policies, practices, and resources to better benefit families, and the 
parents who listen to their children and always have time for a big 
hug.
  For 33 years, the Alliance for Children and Families and its more 
than 350 nonprofit members have promoted National Family Week 
throughout the nation. Every day these child- and family- serving 
organizations make a difference for families of all shapes and sizes. 
This holiday season, for example, One Columbus, Inc. in Columbus, 
Georgia, is sponsoring a series of events to recognize families. 
Several of these events include a community breakfast, the awarding of 
family friendly business awards, a community family walk, and 
community-wide non-denominational church services.
  National Family Week is a great time for all of us to recommit to 
enhancing and extending

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all families' connections. As we gather with our families this 
Thanksgiving, let us remember the special connections that help our 
families thrive and encourage one another, our neighbors, our 
businesses, and our organizations to reach out to families in new ways 
and honor the special gifts each can bring to our communities and to 
one another.

                          ____________________