[Congressional Record Volume 154, Number 13 (Monday, January 28, 2008)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E82]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




   RECOGNIZING THE 150TH ANNIVERSARY OF METROPOLITAN FAMILY SERVICES

                                 ______
                                 

                       HON. JESSE L. JACKSON, JR.

                              of illinois

                    in the house of representatives

                        Monday, January 28, 2008

  Mr. JACKSON of Illinois. Madam Speaker, I rise today to commend 
Metropolitan Family Services on its 150 years of service to individuals 
and families of the Chicago metropolitan area.
  Metropolitan Family Services, MFS, was launched on February 15, 1857, 
as the Chicago Relief and Aid Society, renamed as United Charities in 
1909, and then renamed again in 1995 as Metropolitan Family Services.
  MFS was assigned by Chicago Mayor R. B. Mason to help citizens 
recover after the Chicago Fire. It assisted more than 18,000 families, 
constructing more than 7,000 temporary homes and administering more 
than $10 million, in 1871 dollars in aid donated around the world.
  MFS was one of the Nation's first organizations to provide free legal 
services for the poor through the Legal Aid Society.
  A leader in meeting the needs of thousands of people through the 
Great Depression, World War II, and postwar years, MFS provided a range 
of services including mental health counseling, elder care, and early 
childhood education.
  MFS successfully advocated for State legislation enacted in 2005 that 
protected poor and lower-income families from predatory lending 
practices.
  Presently, Metropolitan Family Services employs 559 professionals 
serving close to 55,000 families and individuals. It has seven 
community centers that provide a full range of services, including 
child and youth development, mental health services, child welfare, 
employee assistance programs, legal aid, services for older adults and 
their families, social policy and community development, and violence 
prevention and intervention.
  I congratulate MFS on its success in providing and mobilizing the 
services needed to strengthen Chicago area families and communities.

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