[Congressional Record Volume 160, Number 141 (Tuesday, November 18, 2014)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E1624]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




     HONORING JOANNE SAMUEL GOLDBLUM ON HER 50TH BIRTHDAY FOR HER 
                  OUTSTANDING SERVICE TO THE COMMUNITY

                                 ______
                                 

                          HON. ROSA L. DeLAURO

                             of connecticut

                    in the house of representatives

                       Tuesday, November 18, 2014

  Ms. DeLAURO. Mr. Speaker, it is with great pleasure that I rise today 
to join family and friends in celebration of my dear friend, Joanne 
Samuel Goldblum, as she celebrates her 50th Birthday! As she marks this 
auspicious occasion, I wanted to take a moment to laud her many 
accomplishments and invaluable contributions to our community.
  A social worker by training, Joanne spent much of her career working 
with impoverished families. It was during this time that she began to 
notice that many of the families she was working with simply went 
without basic toiletries like diapers and toilet paper. When one of her 
clients told her that these things were not covered by food stamps or 
any other assistance program, Joanne decided to take action. Founder 
and Executive Director of the National Diaper Bank Network, a national 
nonprofit organization dedicated to ensuring that every child in the 
United States has an adequate supply of diapers to remain clean, dry 
and healthy, Joanne is a pioneer in the ongoing struggle against 
poverty.
  True to Joanne's vision, the organization's mission is to raise 
awareness of diaper need and to build the capacity of diaper banks 
throughout the country by creating a national network of community 
partners. In 2013 alone, the organization distributed more than 15 
million free diapers to needy families across the country through their 
network of local diaper banks. With 5.8 million babies in the United 
States three years or younger living in poor or low-income families, 
disposable diapers costing up to $100 per month per baby, and most 
childcare centers, even free and subsidized facilities requiring 
parents to provide a day's supply of disposable diapers, the need is 
staggering. The New Haven Register's ``Person of the Year'' in 2007, as 
well as recognized by ABC News as their ``Person of the Week'' and 
People magazine as one of the publication's ``Heroes Among Us'' 
Joanne's passion and advocacy is ensuring that these issues are at the 
forefront of policy debate.
  In addition to her professional contributions, Joanne's philanthropic 
efforts also touch countless lives. She is a champion for a variety of 
programs including emergency housing and education. Joanne serves on 
the Early Childhood Council, which brings together community members 
that are focused on school readiness for young children and their 
families. She is on the guide team for the MOMS Project at Yale, which 
develops public health approaches to ensuring that pregnant and 
parenting women achieve high standards of emotional health and well-
being throughout their lives. Her participation informed her interest 
in basic needs/safety net funding after a study done by the project 
found that the greatest stressor for the female participants was a lack 
of basic needs. She also serves on the Board of Directors of the Foote 
School and the Edith B. Jackson Child Care Program at Yale.
  A dedicated and unwavering advocate, Joanne's lifetime of 
contributions have enriched the lives of others and made our community 
a better place to live and grow. She continues to make a difference in 
the lives of some of our most vulnerable citizens. Put simply, she is a 
reflection of all that we hope community leaders will be. In 
recognition of all of her good work, I am proud to stand today and 
extend my deepest thanks and appreciation to Joanne Samuel Goldblum. 
Joanne--Happy Birthday! My very best wishes to you, your husband, 
David, and your children, Mollie, Jesse, and Sherman, for many more 
years of health, happiness and success.

                          ____________________