[Congressional Record Volume 156, Number 161 (Wednesday, December 8, 2010)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E2091]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




 TRIBUTE TO LOIS J. CARSON, EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR OF THE COMMUNITY ACTION 
                    PARTNERSHIP OF RIVERSIDE COUNTY

                                 ______
                                 

                            HON. KEN CALVERT

                             of california

                    in the house of representatives

                      Wednesday, December 8, 2010

  Mr. CALVERT. Madam Speaker, I rise today to congratulate and pay 
tribute to an individual from my Congressional District for her 30 
years of outstanding service to the community of Riverside, California. 
Lois J. Carson has served as Executive Director of the Community Action 
Partnership (CAP) of Riverside County for 30 years. After three decades 
of service, Lois will retire at the end of December and I thank her for 
years of dedicated public service. In her honor, a grateful city has 
declared December 14, 2010, as ``Lois J. Carson Day.''
  In July 1980, Lois was first appointed by the Board of Supervisors as 
the first Executive Director of CAP of Riverside County, then known as 
the Department of Community Action. For 30 years CAP has worked toward 
reducing poverty in Riverside County. In 2005 and under Lois' 
direction, Riverside received the National Community Action 
Partnership's Award for Excellence, to date the only Community Action 
Agency (CAA) in California, and the only public CAA in the nation, to 
receive this award.
  Lois has been recognized as an innovator who always worked diligently 
on behalf of the city and in her role with CAP. Through the years CAP 
has touched the lives of thousands of low-income residents in 
Riverside, helping them gain footing through programs such as 
Individual Development Accounts, Building Links to Impact Self-
Sufficiency (Project B.L.I.S.S.), Earned Income Tax Credit, and 
Weatherization and Access to Assets.
  Lois has received numerous awards recognizing her accomplishments, 
including being named a ``Distinguished Alumnus'' by California State 
University, San Bernardino and by the University of California, 
Riverside. She was also a first year recipient of the Riverside YWCA 
``Woman of Achievement'' award. In addition, Lois was named the Fair 
Housing Council of Riverside County's ``Champion of Justice;'' honored 
with the Business Press' ``Leader of Distinction'' award; named a 2001 
Papal Medalist; earned the Woman of the Year for the 62nd Assembly 
District; awarded the 2007 Lyndon Baines Johnson ``Human Services 
Award'' which is highest honor of the National Community Action 
Partnership; and was named the 2009 ``Spirit of the Entrepreneur'' 
Award from Social Entrepreneur.
  She also served as a trustee for the San Bernardino Community College 
District for 24 years during which time she was named ``Top Trustee in 
the U.S.'' in 1991 by the Association of Community College Trustees. 
She remains an active member of Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, National 
Council of Negro Women and is a Black Future Leaders mentor. She is 
also the longest serving member of the Riverside County Workforce 
Investment Board.
  Lois' tireless passion for community and public service has 
contributed immensely to the betterment of the community of Riverside, 
California. I am proud to call Lois a fellow community member, American 
and friend. I know that many community members are grateful for her 
service and salute her as she retires.

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