[Congressional Record Volume 161, Number 11 (Thursday, January 22, 2015)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E97]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




       CELEBRATING THE 20TH ANNIVERSARY OF CHILDREN ON THE GREEN

                                 ______
                                 

                      HON. RODNEY P. FRELINGHUYSEN

                             of new jersey

                    in the house of representatives

                       Thursday, January 22, 2015

  Mr. FRELINGHUYSEN. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor Children on the 
Green located in Morristown, New Jersey as it celebrates its 20th 
Anniversary.
  In 1994, twenty years ago, a special organization opened its doors 
with the goal of serving others. Not just serving others, but serving 
others who were not as fortunate as themselves, specifically children. 
Since its opening, Children on the Green of Morristown has met the 
childcare needs of nearly 400 families from area shelters. This was 
possible through the organizations longstanding partnerships with 
Homeless Solutions, the Jersey Battered Women's Services and Family 
Promise of Morris County.
  Children on the Green, located behind the United Methodist Church, 
works to provide safe and nurturing care to children whose parents are 
struggling to provide for them because they are in need of housing, 
education, and/or employment. While the parents work to better their 
families' situation, Children on the Green is a safe place for the 
children to go where they're taken care of by people who truly care. 
Their mission is to support the developmental needs of each child and 
create an interdependent partnership between home, work, community, and 
the center.
  Early childhood education has a value that cannot be measured. 
Research has shown significant gaps in early development between 
children of the lowest socioeconomic status and those in the highest, 
which have been shown to start as early as nine months of age. The main 
contribution to this problem is access to good quality early childhood 
education.
  Children on the Green has a philosophy that states, ``Every child 
deserves access to a quality early education program like Children on 
the Green, irrespective of their means.'' This organization strives 
every day to lower the achievement gap by providing quality early 
childhood education to those children in need.
  Mr. Speaker, please join me in recognizing 20 years of outstanding 
service by Children on the Green, their directors, board of trustees 
and staff. Organizations like this are bettering the lives of the 
children not just in Morristown, New Jersey, but across the country.

                          ____________________