[Congressional Record Volume 150, Number 27 (Thursday, March 4, 2004)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Pages E310-E311]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                 RECOGNITION OF COLORADO NONPROFIT WEEK

                                 ______
                                 

                           HON. DIANA DeGETTE

                              of colorado

                    in the house of representatives

                        Thursday, March 4, 2004

  Ms. DeGETTE. Mr. Speaker, I rise to commemorate Colorado Nonprofit 
Week, an annual event organized by the Colorado Association of 
Nonprofit Organizations (CANPO) and volunteer committees around the 
state. The purpose is to recognize and celebrate the vital impact 
Colorado's nonprofits have on our economy and quality of life.
  In Colorado, there are over 16,000 nonprofits and nationwide there 
are over 850,000 charitable nonprofits. One-third of charitable 
nonprofits work in the area of human services, helping to meet the 
needs of all of our citizens through food banks, job counseling, 
shelters, domestic violence just to mention a few essential areas.
  The other two-thirds of the nonprofit sector serve an even broader 
constituency--all of those who attend cultural performances, view 
exhibitions, visit galleries, take their children to museums, provide 
educational programming, work with animals and protect the environment, 
and many other vital, day-today parts of our lives.
  The Colorado Association of Nonprofit Organizations has worked hard 
to make Colorado Nonprofit Week a success. Their goals have been to 
increase the visibility of nonprofits and

[[Page E311]]

their important contributions throughout the state; to strengthen 
relationships between nonprofit leaders and public officials; and to 
encourage individual nonprofit leaders to see themselves as part of the 
greater nonprofit sector.
  In 2001 (the last year data was analyzed) nonprofit expenditures 
totaled more than $9 billion in Colorado for the 5,400 largest 
nonprofits and $822 billion in the United States for the nearly 267,000 
largest nonprofits.
  The Colorado Association of Nonprofit Organizations represents 
organizations across the state that provide hope for thousands of 
Coloradoans. They educate youth, help the disabled, protect children, 
provide needed services to adults and promote culture and the arts. 
From bettering the lives of individuals to improving the overall 
economy of our entire state, there is almost no aspect of society that 
nonprofits do not touch. One thing is for sure; our state would not be 
the incredible place it is today if these crucial organizations did not 
exist.
  Mr. Speaker, nonprofits in Colorado and across the country are an 
essential piece of the fabric of this country. I am pleased and proud 
to have this opportunity to salute them today.

                          ____________________