[Congressional Record Volume 150, Number 79 (Tuesday, June 8, 2004)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Pages E1070-E1071]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                      RECOGNIZING FAITH IN ACTION

                                 ______
                                 

                         HON. JAMES L. OBERSTAR

                              of minnesota

                    in the house of representatives

                         Tuesday, June 8, 2004

  Mr. OBERSTAR. Mr. Speaker, I rise today in recognition of Faith in 
Action, a national program of the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation and 
the many dedicated individuals who serve in this interfaith volunteer 
caregiving program.
  I had the pleasure of meeting with numerous volunteers from 
throughout my Congressional District during their visit to Washington, 
and I was uplifted and inspired by the stories they shared with me.


                    faith in action for cass county

  Esther is an 83-year-old woman who has osteoporosis and spinal 
fractures. She is a lovely lady who has lived alone for 30 years since 
her husband died, in a home built in 1908 in great need of repair. 
Esther has no children and is on a fixed income.
  When she was diagnosed with spinal fractures, she was in a lot of 
pain and was told there was nothing she could do. She had lost hope. 
She first came to the attention of Faith in Action when the agency was 
told the water in her home was undrinkable. A septic system repairman 
told her he punctured her well and she should not drink the water. 
Faith in Action found a volunteer who brings her clean water every 
week. For years she used a flashlight to find her way in the bathroom, 
as the light fixture did not work. She feared asking a repairperson to 
help as another repairperson had taken her valuables. The Faith in 
Action AmeriCorps Vista Worker fixed her light fixture, and there is 
now a team of Faith in Action volunteers who takes her to the doctor, 
to the grocery store, and out to lunch. They clean her house, repair 
her furnace when needed and wrap her frozen pipes. Faith in Action is 
there for her whenever she needs help; she is always so grateful and 
occasionally pays $5 or $10 to Faith in Action.
  Esther is determined to stay in her home so she can feed the deer and 
chipmunks. Faith in Action volunteers help to provide comfort and 
assistance so she can stay in her home as long as possible.


                    lakes area interfaith caregivers

  Faith in Action in the Lakes Area received a call last fall from the 
wife of an 84-year-old veteran of 30 years and two wars. She stated 
that they needed a ramp because he is confined to a wheelchair, she has 
a bad back, and it is very difficult to get him out of the house. She 
even stated that she had dropped him down the cement front stairs onto 
the cement sidewalk the previous week.
  This was in late November and within one week Faith in Action had six 
volunteers over and completed a ramp for them. It snowed the next day. 
Faith in Action received a nice thank you from her stating that they 
love the ramp, they feel much safer now, and her back feels much 
better.

  Faith in Action also received a note a while ago thanking them for 
giving a woman a ride everyday for 18 days to see her husband in 
intensive care. She stated that without wonderful volunteers who 
brought her 30 miles in the morning and home again 30 miles in the 
afternoon, she would not have been able to visit her husband of 66 
years before he died.


             Northwoods Interfaith Caregivers are Essential

  Tessie has been a transportation volunteer for Northwoods Interfaith 
for nearly 4 years and has provided over 500 hours of priceless 
services to several Carereceivers. Not only has she made her car 
available when someone needed a ride to a medical appointment, to the 
bank, or to the grocery store, but she has also made herself available, 
as a friend, to each Carereceiver that she helps. When asking a 
Carereceiver what she thinks of Tessie, the Carereceiver responded:
  ``I consider Tessie to be my own special angel. I thank God for 
sending her every day. She is a true champion, and there's nothing she 
wouldn't do for me. For the past 3 years, Tessie has driven me to 
dialysis 3 times a week and even when she had to pick me up at 5:30 in 
the morning, she was always cheerful and kind. She helps me with 
errands, takes me out to eat when 1 don't feel good enough to cook a 
meal, and keeps me updated on our church news. She has shared her 
grandchildren with me, her pets, and her home. She is my family. I 
can't say enough about Tessie. She is a true example of volunteers at 
their extreme best.''


                    Family Pathways Senior Services

  Every month volunteers are asked to report their activities with 
clients and turn in their mileage report so they can be reimbursed for 
their mileage and Family Pathways can tabulate statistics for funding 
sources. Vicki sent in her report and had driven 1,496 miles for the 
month. That was much higher than usual. The Volunteer Coordinator 
visited with Vicki and asked if she had to relinquish 2 of her 5 
clients which ones would she be able to give up to another volunteer. 
After some discussion and consideration, she said, ``Oh, I couldn't 
give up any of them.'' Her clients can't say enough positive things 
about Vicki and her unrelenting energy and willingness to help others. 
Vicki is 90 years old.
  Family Pathways also assists a couple that lives in a trailer home in 
the country. He has severe dementia, she has diabetes and has left-
sided weakness due to a stroke. Their children all work, and, although 
they live nearby, they wanted some company for their parents on a 
weekly basis. Family Pathways found an older couple that wanted to 
volunteer together. The Volunteer Coordinator brought the volunteer 
couple to their home to visit to see if it would be a good match. The 
couples began talking and visiting, and before long an hour had gone 
by. There was laughter, teasing, story telling and a whole bunch of 
good feeling around the room. Yes, it was a good match. This couple now 
goes out once a week to visit. They have driven them into town for 
shopping, helped plant flowers around their trailer and thoroughly 
enjoy their time together.
  I am proud to rise on the floor today to commend these altruistic 
individuals and to recognize a program that is bringing together people 
of different faiths to care for their neighbors. Faith in Action was 
created in the spirit of community volunteerism and the nearly 1,000 
interfaith volunteer caregiving programs that have developed across the 
country provide the balm of Gilead. The stories of changed lives as a 
result of their presence in the community has touched me and clearly 
provides hope to many individuals in need.

[[Page E1071]]



                          ____________________