[Congressional Record Volume 153, Number 175 (Tuesday, November 13, 2007)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E2393]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




    HONORING COLUMBUS HOUSE, INCORPORATED AS IT CELEBRATES ITS 25TH 
                              ANNIVERSARY

                                 ______
                                 

                          HON. ROSA L. DeLAURO

                             of connecticut

                    in the house of representatives

                       Tuesday, November 13, 2007

  Ms. DeLAURO. Madam Speaker, I rise today to join the New Haven 
community in celebrating the 25th anniversary of Columbus House, a 
shelter and service provider for the homeless of the greater New Haven 
region. Throughout their 25 years, Columbus House has given countless 
people the support they need to become self-reliant and productive 
members of the community, providing a path to recovery and the ability 
to attain their goals. The shelter was the brain child of Cynthia 
DeLouise, founding executive director, members of the Downtown 
Cooperative Ministry and the city of New Haven.
  Columbus House opened in November 1982 and provided shelter for its 
first person in need--a 19-year-old woman who needed housing and food. 
In the first two years, Columbus House served more than 1,000 
individuals. Most all of the beds were filled by men, but in the fall 
of 1984, Columbus House designated 16 beds specifically for women. It 
was New Haven's first shelter for homeless men and women. The original 
mission was to provide basic food and shelter services, however, the 
organization quickly learned it needed to understand and address the 
problems that lead to homelessness. Columbus House began to broaden its 
mission by providing case management services in the areas of mental 
health, substance abuse, HIV/AIDS, and trauma/abuse. Columbus House has 
also been nationally recognized for its innovative programs. One such 
program is the 90-day length of stay program, in which the residents 
set goals for themselves and develop a timetable in which to achieve 
them. This program proved to be a powerful incentive tool to enroll 
clients into counseling and treatment services. Columbus House also 
charges residents a nominal fee for their stay, a practice which 
promotes the ultimate goal of self-reliance.
  The dual mission of Columbus House is what makes it so unique, 
remarkable and valuable to the New Haven community. Providing emergency 
shelter is a critical community service. Columbus House is not only 
emergency shelter beds; its wide array of shelter services is 
extraordinary. Its outreach services include a mobile crisis van and 
outreach workers who try to link the mentally ill with the treatment 
and services they require. Columbus House also launched the Citizens 
Project in 1996, which trains formerly homeless individuals to 
participate on boards and committees of social service agencies. In 
2002, it implemented the mentor project which trains people in early 
recovery to become mentors in social service agencies throughout the 
community. Columbus House strives to help residents become self-
sufficient and able to maintain permanent housing.
  In addition to providing counseling job training and medical care 
Columbus House aims to cultivate a sense of self-worth, self-dignity 
and self-reliance in those who feel that their lives are beyond their 
control. It is rebuilding the client's sense of self that is the key to 
the program's success. Columbus House gives residents the tools to 
handle life on their own and to effectively seek resolutions to their 
problems.
  In September 2002, Columbus House literally broke new ground with the 
opening of its new facility, three times the size of the former 
shelter. This new shelter building has increased the capacity to 101 
beds, doubling the amount of clients it is able to serve. This new 
building is clean, safe and accessible and provides a sense of pride 
and accomplishment for the staff, volunteers, and all of the clients.
  It is unconscionable to know that homelessness remains a crisis in 
our communities and across the Nation; people are still hungry, seeking 
refuge under bridges, and living on our streets. The sad truth is that 
approximately 33,000 people are homeless in Connecticut, and 
approximately 2,000 are living in New Haven. Without the caring and 
compassionate work of the staff and volunteers at Columbus House, these 
numbers would be even more devastating. I would be remiss if I did not 
mention the incredible work and creative vision of Alison Cunningham, 
the executive director of Columbus House since 1998. It is also 
important to note that volunteers provide some of the most essential 
services of medical care, dental care, legal counseling, and spiritual 
guidance. Volunteers over the years have also brought gifts for 
holidays and have organized various fund-raising events. Our 
communities would not be the same without the efforts of folks such as 
these, whose energy, compassion, and commitment touches people's lives 
every day. I have tremendous admiration for community service and those 
who provide it.
  The work of caring for the homeless has become increasingly 
difficult. Many people no longer care about the plight of the homeless 
and are frustrated by the complex issues that contribute to 
homelessness. I commend Columbus House for facing all of the issues 
that surround homelessness and continuing to work every day to resolve 
them for the past 25 years. Congratulations on this remarkable 
milestone and for all the lives in need that you have quietly touched 
every day. I thank you, and I am grateful for over two decades of 
service to the greater New Haven region.

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