[Congressional Record Volume 151, Number 22 (Wednesday, March 2, 2005)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E341]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




            COMMENDING AMERICORPS AND THE WEST SENECA YOUTH
                   BUREAU FOR OUTSTANDING ACHIEVEMENT

                                 ______
                                 

                           HON. BRIAN HIGGINS

                              of new york

                    in the house of representatives

                        Wednesday, March 2, 2005

  Mr. HIGGINS. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to commend the Americorps 
program in the town of West Seneca, New York, for its outstanding 
contributions to our Western New York and to recognize the West Seneca 
Youth Bureau for its exemplary service to the residents of Erie County 
and Western New York.
  Through its network of more than 2,100 service programs, AmeriCorps 
has assisted millions of Americans through tutoring, running after 
school programs, building affordable housing, cleaning parks, and 
assisting with disaster relief.
  A shining example of the significance of AmeriCorps' service to our 
Nation's communities is the West Seneca Youth Bureau of the town of 
West Seneca, in Erie County, New York. The West Seneca Youth Bureau 
hosts seven different AmeriCorps programs, and through these programs, 
volunteers have provided a broad range of needed services to Western 
New Yorkers.
  West Seneca's Service Action Corps is one of the major donors of food 
in Western New York, delivering 15,000 pounds of food to local pantries 
every day. Through Standard Bearer's of America's Promise, AmeriCorps 
tutors provide young students in Buffalo and Erie County with the tools 
needed to help them become independent readers. Their Erie County Youth 
Conservation Corps program teaches marketable skills to at-risk youth 
so they can use these skills in the professional world. Through 
YouthBuild, at-risk youth learn basic construction and carpentry skills 
and gain college credits while building low cost housing for Western 
New Yorkers in need.
  Since its inception, West Seneca AmeriCorps volunteers have shoveled 
more than one-half million pounds of snow for local residents and 
businesses, provided area food banks with over 6 million pounds of 
food, tutored more than 18,000 students, cleaned 150 nature trails, 
countless parks and playgrounds and cleared hundreds of vacant lots.
  AmeriCorps' commitment to education, public safety, the environment 
and health has made it an incredibly successful organization that I am 
proud to recognize today. Thanks to the dedicated volunteers of 
AmeriCorps and the West Seneca Youth Bureau, thousands of my 
constituents have received much needed education and support. I 
congratulate the organization for 10 years of service, and look forward 
to working with them for years to come, and I thank you, Mr. Speaker, 
for the opportunity to recognize their achievements here today.

                          ____________________