[Congressional Record Volume 151, Number 18 (Thursday, February 17, 2005)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E272]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                 RECOGNIZING ST. VINCENT DE PAUL CENTER

                                 ______
                                 

                           HON. RAHM EMANUEL

                              of illinois

                    in the house of representatives

                      Thursday, February 17, 2005

  Mr. EMANUEL. Mr. Speaker, I rise in proud recognition of the St. 
Vincent de Paul Center on the occasion of its 2005 Fleur de Lis Ball--
an annual charity dinner to benefit underprivileged children, seniors 
and the homeless in the city of Chicago.
  The St. Vincent de Paul Center is a pillar of our community and a 
shining example of public service for the Nation. For the past 90 
years, the Center's dedicated staff--led by Dr. Renard I. Jackson, 
Chief Executive Officer, and Sister Catherine Mary Norris, Site 
Director--has established a strong record in meeting the daily 
challenges faced by low-income families and disadvantaged individuals 
in our community. The Center's programs cover a broad array of services 
from day care services for children through health care programs for 
the elderly.
  The Center's child care programs, for example, serve low-income 
families by providing a safe and enriching environment for children, 
giving parents the time to enroll in job training classes and pursue 
employment opportunities. The Center's social services programs offer 
violence prevention, family counseling and support groups.
  The homeless outreach programs provide day-to-day essentials such as 
food and clothing, counseling services, job search assistance and a 
mailbox for those who do not have their own addresses. Additionally, 
the senior services program assists Chicago's elderly with health care 
and money management decisions, and provides social interaction and 
friendship for isolated seniors.
  The wide variety and high caliber of services offered by the St. 
Vincent de Paul Center serve as a national model of community outreach 
and are made possible by the selfless contributions of 3,200 volunteers 
who commit 50,000 hours of service annually. This strong sense of 
community service continues today in the new Center located at the 
corner of Webster and Halsted Streets in Chicago.
  I commend the dedicated people at the St. Vincent de Paul Center for 
their faithful service to our community, and I wish them continued 
success in meeting the needs of disadvantaged Chicagoans well into the 
future.

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