[Congressional Record Volume 153, Number 63 (Thursday, April 19, 2007)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E806]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




IN RECOGNITION OF HOUR CHILDREN AND ITS 2007 HONOREES, ABIGAIL DISNEY, 
                  KIRK GOODRICH, AND XIOMARA GUTIERREZ

                                 ______
                                 

                        HON. CAROLYN B. MALONEY

                              of new york

                    in the house of representatives

                        Thursday, April 19, 2007

  Mrs. MALONEY of New York. Madam Speaker, I rise to pay tribute to 
Hour Children, a not-for-profit social service agency in Long Island 
City, New York dedicated to supporting mothers currently or previously 
incarcerated in prison and to providing a stable and nurturing 
environment for their children. This month, Hour Children is 
celebrating its 12th anniversary at its Annual Awards Benefit, where 
the organization is honoring 3 outstanding individuals: Abigail Disney, 
Kirk Goodrich and Xiomara Gutierrez.
  Originally founded in 1995 by Sister Teresa Fitzgerald, CSJ, for 
children rendered homeless by their mothers' incarceration, Hour 
Children has grown into a full-service, multifaceted social service 
provider to countless families in need. Sister Teresa, familiarly know 
as ``Sister Tesa,'' secured housing at the Roman Catholic Convent of 
St. Rita's in Long Island City as a home for these children, and joined 
with 4 other Sisters to become foster parents. They went on to 
establish parent support programs at New York State's Bedford Hills and 
Taconic Correctional Institutions, facilitating visit schedules so that 
female inmates and their children were able to reunite for a few hours 
on a regular basis.
  Although nearly one third of prisoners in New York State are 
reincarcerated, Hour Children's rate of recidivism is less than 10 
percent because its clients are afforded ample time to make a 
successful transition to assuming responsibilities for family and work. 
Hour Children's unique approach begins by forging relationships with 
its adult clients while they are still in prison, bringing their 
children to visit regularly, and providing advocacy and mentoring on 
parenting, domestic violence, and employment counseling, thus easing 
their transition to reunification with their children. In forging long-
term relationships with its clients built on trust, Hour Children helps 
them to attain independence and self-sufficiency at a pace suited to 
their needs.
  Today, Hour Children is a community of 5 multi-family residences, 
serving families with children from infancy to 21 years of age. More 
than 200 ``graduates'' of its housing program have successfully made 
the transition to independent living, returning for monthly support 
group meetings and special events. In addition, Hour Children was 
officially recognized as a work release site, opening a Community 
Outreach Center and 3 thrift shops.
  Hour Children's success would not have been possible without the 
extraordinary contributions of its 3 honorees this year. As Co-Founder 
and President of the Daphne Foundation, Abigail E. Disney, Ph.D., has 
devoted herself tirelessly to confronting the causes and consequences 
of poverty in our Nation's greatest city. She was indispensable in 
securing and providing the first funding for Hour Children's Early 
Learning program for children ranging from infants to 3-year-olds.
  Hour Children is also honoring Kirk Goodrich, Vice President of the 
Enterprise Social Investment Corporation, one of the Nation's leading 
providers of community development capital, tax credit equity 
investments, and development services for affordable housing, mixed-
use, and commercial development. His leadership helped secure the 
financing to enable Hour Children to open a new residence under 
construction at 35-54 11th Street in Long Island City, where 8 
apartment units will be available to Hour Children's client families.
  In addition, Hour Children is honoring Xiomara Gutierrez with its 
First Annual Jean Harris Award. A mother, child care worker, and 
trusted confidante to countless families, Xiomara Harris has touched 
and inspired the Hour Children community with her compassion and 
dedication.
  Madam Speaker, I ask my distinguished colleagues to join me in 
recognizing the remarkable successes enjoyed by Hour Children in 
helping countless individuals transcend their circumstances and realize 
their full potential.

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