[Congressional Record Volume 156, Number 83 (Friday, May 28, 2010)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E982]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




  COMMEMORATING THE OPENING OF HARKNESS HOUSE TO PROVIDE TRANSITIONAL 
                          HOUSING FOR VETERANS

                                 ______
                                 

                          HON. ROSA L. DeLAURO

                             of connecticut

                    in the house of representatives

                         Thursday, May 27, 2010

  Ms. DeLAURO. Madam Speaker, I rise to applaud the opening today of 
Harkness House, a four-apartment Victorian in my hometown of New Haven 
that will provide transitional housing for Connecticut veterans, and 
thus help to repay those who have served in uniform and now need our 
help.
  Thanks to the hard work of Columbus House, a local organization 
dedicated to helping homeless Americans, as well as financial and 
logistical support from the Errera Community Care Center, VA Medical 
Center in West Haven, and the Department of Veterans Affairs, Harkness 
House will give up to fourteen homeless male veterans a place to live 
for up to two years, as they work to get back on their feet and 
reintegrate themselves into the community.
  This new haven for homeless veterans is just one of many very 
worthwhile programs by Columbus House to alleviate the crushing burdens 
on the homeless men, women, and children in our midst. They also 
provide temporary and permanent housing at a number of other facilities 
around our community, as well as outreach services to this and other 
at-risk and highly vulnerable populations.
  Along with providing a crucial resource to homeless veterans, 
Harkness House is particularly well-named. Its namesake, Dr. Laurie 
Harkness, has spent a career working to foster supportive housing for 
Connecticut's veterans in danger of homelessness. She has played a 
formative role in the creation of several such residential projects all 
across the state, and brought both housing and hope to over 250 
homeless veterans and their families. And she has been a dear personal 
friend to me.
  I congratulate Laurie on this well-earned honor today, and I thank 
Columbus House and everyone else involved for their leadership and 
commitment to making Harkness House a reality. Because of their 
efforts, veterans who have sacrificed so much for our country, but have 
fallen on hard times, will now have a better chance at a second chance.

                          ____________________