[Congressional Record Volume 151, Number 116 (Thursday, September 15, 2005)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Pages E1854-E1855]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                      TRIBUTE TO MS. REEVES DIXON

                                 ______
                                 

                          HON. JOSE E. SERRANO

                              of new york

                    in the house of representatives

                      Thursday, September 15, 2005

  Mr. SERRANO. Mr. Speaker, it is with deep sympathy that I rise today 
to give a final goodbye to a wonderful woman who dedicated her life to 
helping others live well. Ms. Reeves Dixon passed away on September 2, 
2005. She was a fine woman and will be sorely missed by all who knew 
her.
  This daughter of the Bronx life's resume is long and impressive but I 
want to take a moment to highlight the important contributions she made 
to the people of my community.
  Since 1980 Reeves worked with the 163rd Street Improvement Council, 
serving first as the Assistant Executive Director and later as its 
President and CEO. As CEO of the 163rd Street Improvement Council 
Reeves pushed the organization to plan, design, develop and implement 
affordable housing and support services that focused on meeting the 
housing and human services needs of the residents of the Southeast 
Bronx.
  Most of the Council's clients have incomes below the median level. In 
an effort to help empower these low income families the council offers 
an integrated program which provides quality and affordable housing 
through

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direct assistance that includes support services, education, advocacy, 
placement and referral. The Council helps to increase self esteem and 
self determination and decrease dependency on government subsidies. 
Under her strong leadership the Council moved from a budget of $400,000 
to a multi-million dollar organization. Its growth not only 
demonstrated the great need for such an organization in the Bronx but 
also the strong leadership and vision of Reeves.
  This past week the world watched in disbelief as Hurricane Katrina 
destroyed a major American city. While this storm will go down in 
history as the worst natural disaster to strike this Nation, it had 
much more significance. Katrina forced Americans to remove the wool 
that many had placed over their eyes to face the grim reality that 
there are millions of people in this country who live in utter poverty. 
Perhaps now Americans will realize the great responsibility they have 
to uplift those who are most vulnerable in our society. The life of 
Reeves Dixon is a shining example of how every American should lead 
his/her life--working to uplift her/his fellow man. Reeves understood 
that her community, much like the Nation as a whole, could not survive 
if its most vulnerable citizens were not protected. As a result she 
spent her life empowering others.
  Although Reeves has passed on, the many good works that she did will 
continue to benefit the lives of others for generations to come. Surely 
that is the mark of great life. For her unyielding spirit and kind 
heart I ask my colleagues to join me in saying goodbye to a dear friend 
and role model to us all--Ms. Reeves Dixon.

                          ____________________