[Congressional Record Volume 159, Number 148 (Tuesday, October 22, 2013)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Pages E1534-E1535]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




              IN RECOGNITION OF CRAIG AND MARC KIELBURGER

                                 ______
                                 

                            HON. LOIS CAPPS

                             of california

                    in the house of representatives

                       Tuesday, October 22, 2013

  Mrs. CAPPS. Mr. Speaker, today I rise to honor the tireless work and 
dedication of Craig and Marc Kielburger on behalf of the world's 
children.
   Craig and Marc Kielburger co-founded Free the Children in the mid-
1990s when Craig, at the age of 12, organized several of his classmates 
after being inspired by the story of a young Pakistani child labor 
activist.
   Over the span of 18 years, Free the Children has expanded to have a 
global impact, using a holistic approach to work on some of the 
developing world's most challenging issues. Since 1995, the 
organization has contributed to the construction of more than 650

[[Page E1535]]

schools that serve approximately 55,000 children around the world. Free 
the Children has also provided 1,000,000 people with clean water, 
health care and sanitation services, and has assisted 30,000 women 
achieve economic sufficiency. Today, Free the Children has a presence 
in 45 countries, and Craig, Marc and their team have successfully 
recruited 2 million volunteers under the age of 18 to give back to 
their peers around the globe.
   After many successful years of growing Free the Children, Craig and 
Marc launched Me to We, an organization focused on promoting 
sustainable business and consumer practices. This unique operation taps 
into the power of the market, teaching and encouraging young consumers 
to make socially conscious choices each time they spend money. The 
organization coordinates numerous volunteer trips abroad each year, and 
more than $5 million raised by Me to We has been reinvested in Free the 
Children since 2009.
   Craig and Marc Kielburger have dedicated nearly their entire lives 
to educating and empowering young people. The impact of their work has 
spread far beyond Free the Children and Me to We--indeed, Craig's and 
Marc's programs are equipping today's youth with the tools they need to 
become responsible global citizens and forward-thinking leaders. I am 
pleased and honored to recognize Craig and Marc Kielburger for their 
accomplishments and unflagging effort to making the world a better 
place.

                          ____________________