[Congressional Record Volume 157, Number 43 (Tuesday, March 29, 2011)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E545]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




   IN RECOGNITION OF THE BEVIN KALATHIL VARUGHESE MEMORIAL FOUNDATION

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                         HON. GARY L. ACKERMAN

                              of new york

                    in the house of representatives

                        Tuesday, March 29, 2011

  Mr. ACKERMAN. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to seek Congressional 
recognition of the exceptional achievements and outstanding career of 
Susan Bender. Over the course of her almost 40-year professional career 
with Jewish Community Centers (JCC) in New York City and Long Island, 
Susan worked tirelessly to ensure that families and individuals living 
in New York City and Long Island had access to mental-health and 
social-service programs. She has not only been an innovative leader and 
unyielding advocate for individuals with disabilities, but also a 
dedicated leader in her community.
  After graduating from Brooklyn College with a degree in speech 
pathology, Susan began working at JCCs with distinction. She started 
her career at the Staten Island Jewish Community Center as the Director 
of Early Childhood Development. In 1988, she moved to be the Executive 
Director at the Young Men's-Young Women's Hebrew Association in 
Westchester, New York. Then, in 1992, Susan became the Executive 
Director of the Sid Jacobson Jewish Community Center in East Hills, New 
York, in my congressional district.
  Under Susan's enthusiastic direction, Sid Jacobson has flourished. 
The Center dramatically expanded its facility in East Hills and also 
added the Bernice Jacobson Day School and Camp in Old Westbury, New 
York. Susan developed the Center's noted innovative programs for 
autistic children, single parents, and the bereaved. She helped found a 
first-of-its-kind program for adults with early-onset Alzheimer's and 
their families.
  Today, the Center has a staff of over 250, an annual budget of $12 
million, and offers an extensive catalog of dynamic programs for people 
of all ages and abilities. The success of the Center is a direct 
testament to the strength of Susan's leadership and her dedication to 
providing community members with the best possible services.
  In addition to her work at Sid Jacobson, Susan has applied her energy 
and vision in a variety of leadership roles in the national JCC 
movement. She served as a member of the Jewish Community Center 
Association's board of directors, was president of the Association of 
Jewish Center Professionals (AJCP) for the Eastern Region, and, in 
2002, was named the national president of the AJCP.
  Mr. Speaker, this year Susan Bender will retire having contributed 
immeasurably to her community. I am proud to recognize Susan and I ask 
my colleagues to join me in thanking her for her lifetime of tremendous 
work for others.

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