[Congressional Record Volume 157, Number 177 (Friday, November 18, 2011)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E2104]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                  NATIONAL COMMUNITY FOUNDATIONS WEEK

                                 ______
                                 

                          HON. EARL BLUMENAUER

                               of oregon

                    in the house of representatives

                       Friday, November 18, 2011

  Mr. BLUMENAUER. Mr. Speaker, this week we recognize millions of 
Americans who have voluntarily joined together to meet important needs 
in their communities. National Community Foundations Week celebrates 
the generosity and shared efforts to common goals that mark the 
American character.
  Community foundations make substantial contributions to our nation's 
well-being in areas such as health care and social services, education 
and the arts, economic development, and environmental protection. In 
2010, community foundations gave an estimated $4 billion to a variety 
of nonprofit activities.
  Directed by volunteers, community foundations provide effective 
leadership in communities throughout the United States, often 
supplementing or assisting in the coordination of public programs and 
other private services. They are one of the fastest-growing forms of 
philanthropy in the United States.
  The Oregon Community Foundation exemplifies these virtues. For 
instance, its ``Access to Higher Education'' initiative includes a one-
on-one mentoring program fostering post-high school education and a 
scholarship program directing millions of dollars each year to help 
Oregonians pursue advanced education. The Oregon Community Foundation 
also addresses needs like literacy on the North Coast, children's 
dental health in South Willamette Valley and community school programs 
in Central Oregon.
  Please join me in recognizing National Community Foundation Week, and 
in gratefully acknowledging the nation's charitable organizations as 
well as the concerned individuals who donate their time, talent, and 
resources.

                          ____________________