[Congressional Record Volume 153, Number 38 (Tuesday, March 6, 2007)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E468]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                          NEIGHBORHOOD CENTERS

                                 ______
                                 

                            HON. GENE GREEN

                                of texas

                    in the house of representatives

                         Tuesday, March 6, 2007

  Mr. GENE GREEN of Texas. Madam Speaker, the promise of America means 
different things to different people. To some, it may represent better 
economic opportunities. To others, it is having access to a better 
education, better healthcare, or a better job. To still others, it is 
simply the chance for a better life.
  But regardless of how we define the ``promise of America,'' there is 
little doubt that Neighborhood Centers Inc.--Houston's largest and 
fastest-growing human services agency--is making that promise a reality 
for thousands of people in Southeast Texas. And the scope of that 
accomplishment is being underscored this month, as Neighborhood Centers 
celebrates its 100th anniversary of providing education, resources, and 
connections to the area's most vulnerable communities. Our 
Congressional District is served very well by Neighborhood Centers 
Inc.'s facilities and programs.
  Founded in 1907 by Alice Graham Baker--the grandmother of former 
Secretary of State James Baker III--Neighborhood Centers Inc. stands as 
a shining example of how innovative strategies and consistency of 
purpose, animated by a heart as big as Texas, can produce truly 
transformational change.
  From its inception, Neighborhood Centers has focused on helping 
underserved communities to achieve their full potential. The 
organization pursues this mission not by concentrating on the 
weaknesses of a neighborhood and its residents, but by building on the 
unique skills, strengths, resources, and capabilities that already 
exist. It then works to nurture these assets in order to create self-
sufficiency, individual empowerment, and long-term economic and social 
development.
  The result is a unique approach for connecting people with what they 
need to fully realize the promise of America: child and family care, 
education, job skills, entrepreneurial incubators, leadership 
development, legal assistance, after-school programs, citizenship 
services, teacher training, and activities for seniors that encourage 
aging in place.
  The ability and willingness to provide these services have brought 
Neighborhood Centers face to face with numerous challenges over the 
years. But challenges are not uncommon to the agency. It has 
traditionally been Houston's go-to organization when it comes to 
dealing with the region's most complex issues. As Angela Blanchard, 
president and CEO, once said: ``The harder it is, the better we like 
it.''
  Neighborhood Centers' response to Hurricane Katrina demonstrates 
clearly that those are not mere words.
  When the storm forced hundreds of thousands of New Orleans residents 
to flee to Houston, Neighborhood Centers created a special program 
called Stay Connected. It provided evacuees assistance in finding jobs, 
healthcare, homes, and other essential human needs. It worked to 
restore a sense of community for those who decided to make Houston 
their home. It helped rebuild lives, renew hope, and revitalize 
opportunity. To date, Stay Connected--which is largely staffed by 
Katrina victims--has served more than 4,000 families.
  That brings me to my final point about Neighborhood Centers: This is 
an organization defined by compassion, concern, and commitment.
  The agency and everyone involved with its mission--including 
corporate partners such as JPMorganChase, Shell, Chevron, and Aramark--
share an unbounded faith in human potential.
  They truly believe that people, when treated with respect and dignity 
and given a chance to grow and to build self-esteem, can have a 
profoundly positive impact on families, communities, and the entire 
social and economic fabric not only of Houston but of America as well. 
Potential is not just an abstract concept to Neighborhood Centers. It 
is a concrete foundation for touching lives, lifting hearts, and 
fulfilling promise.
  Over the past 100 years, Neighborhood Centers has never sidestepped 
an opportunity--or avoided an obligation--to keep that potential alive. 
In doing so, it has not simply made the American Dream a reality. It 
has kept the Human Dream alive. I cannot think of a more significant 
contribution to this country to those who make it great.

                          ____________________