[Congressional Record Volume 155, Number 65 (Thursday, April 30, 2009)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E1024]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                     HONORING FRESNO RESCUE MISSION

                                 ______
                                 

                         HON. GEORGE RADANOVICH

                             of california

                    in the house of representatives

                        Thursday, April 30, 2009

  Mr. RADANOVICH, Madam Speaker, I rise today to congratulate the 
Fresno Rescue Mission upon celebrating its 60th anniversary.
  Reverend Clifford Phillips first envisioned the Fresno Rescue Mission 
with a prayer meeting, the ``Fisherman's Club'' and the concerned 
hearts of many local Christians. The Fresno Rescue Mission opened its 
doors in 1949 as a non-profit, faith-based, evangelical Christian 
charitable organization with the purpose of assisting local alcoholics 
and transient farm laborers. Since the 1950s the Fresno Rescue Mission 
has expanded their services to include assistance to every man, woman, 
child or family that walks through their doors. They stress 
accountability, responsible living and decision making for all 
residents, while encouraging them with support, training and prayer.
  In 2008, the Fresno Rescue Mission served four hundred and twenty-two 
children at the Craycroft Youth Center, and an additional one hundred 
and fifty-four families with three hundred and eighty children. It 
shelters an average of eighty to one hundred and thirty men every night 
in the overnight homeless shelter for men. The Mission also averages 
one hundred and twenty-five men involved with the eighteen month 
Academy Recovery Program. Individuals that complete this program become 
productive, law abiding citizens. The Mission has been instrumental in 
changing the lives of many individuals by providing life and job skills 
training, literacy and GED education, computer training and a career 
development program. The goal of the Mission is to change one life at a 
time and to provide hope and renewal to abandoned, abused, neglected 
and addicted.
  The Fresno Rescue Mission has been an integral part of the Fresno 
community for sixty years; saving the city, county and state millions 
of taxpayer dollars. Its influence has spread beyond the City of Fresno 
and its success was instrumental in starting twenty-two other rescue 
missions with the belief that people are able to rise above their 
mistakes to make positive changes for themselves.
  Madam Speaker, I rise today to commend and congratulate the Fresno 
Rescue Mission on 60 years of community building. I invite my 
colleagues to join me in wishing the Fresno Rescue Mission many years 
of continued success.

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