[Congressional Record Volume 159, Number 93 (Wednesday, June 26, 2013)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E977]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




IN RECOGNITION OF ST. JOSEPH'S CENTER OF SCRANTON, PA FOR 125 YEARS OF 
                  OUTSTANDING SERVICE TO THE COMMUNITY

                                 ______
                                 

                          HON. MATT CARTWRIGHT

                            of pennsylvania

                    in the house of representatives

                        Wednesday, June 26, 2013

  Mr. CARTWRIGHT. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor one of Scranton's 
oldest, most respected community service institutions: St. Joseph's 
Center. On July 1, St. Joseph's will celebrate its 125th anniversary. 
Since 1888, St. Joseph's Center has provided much-needed services in 
northeastern Pennsylvania.
  From the very beginning, the women of St. Joseph's organized to help 
the most vulnerable Pennsylvanians--abandoned orphans with nowhere else 
to turn. There was such a demand for their assistance that St. Joseph's 
outgrew three buildings before 1900. From sheltering homeless infants, 
St. Joseph's quickly expanded to assist unwed mothers and provide child 
placement services.
  After World War II, St. Joseph's refocused on another area of 
pressing, unmet need in the community. The center was quickly 
transformed from an orphanage into a center for children diagnosed with 
intellectual disabilities. Today, the center runs thirteen community 
homes where individuals with even the most serious disabilities can 
live well, treated with dignity and respect.
  St. Joseph's also worked actively to support families caring for 
children with intellectual disabilities at home. They provide 
community-based assistance to hundreds of families every year. In 2003, 
the opening of the Blakely Street Campus for Adult Day Services allowed 
St. Joseph's to offer year-round services for young people with 
intellectual disabilities who are not in one of the Center's 
residential programs.
  Today, St. Joseph's still provides shelter and support for pregnant 
women. They offer not just counseling and adoption services but life-
skills training, a mother/infant residence and, most importantly, a 
steadfast commitment to the values that have guided them since their 
founding 125 years ago. The Center's service to the community has truly 
been outstanding, and we look forward to the next 125 years.

                          ____________________